The Accounts of a Pack - A Tenderness of Fire
by TheWinterChanged
Summary: One year living in a new place. Seeing if life could be different for them. Maggie didn't know by coming that she changed everything about their world. She gave up the fire - everything- for her family because she...just had to be different. She used her head and did it for family. Only using her head brings her to a fate she's not sure she wants. AU Jake/OC, Uley Family, The Pack.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight related. I am not Stephanie Meyer nor do I present myself out to be her. I am not making a dime off this creation. I am just doing it to stretch and build my writing skills and self-gratification. _

_I love feedback, so don't be shy :)  
_

_Notes on my AU Pack-World - This is set three years after the last book. Jacob never imprinted on Nessie. The Cullens are still in town although Carlisle has 'retired to concentrate on his family and writing a book' (or something like that) as to not attract attention to their non-aging sparkly selves. Jake took over the Packs before Nessie was born. The whole confrontation with the Volturi happened and it went down like in the book. Most of the rest is explained in the next couple of chapters so it shouldn't be too confusing. Um...I think that sets the stage, so to speak. Oh – also – in case you haven't figured it out. This is playing on a what if scenario in my head – What if Sam's Father had other children out there? Then things rolled into placed after that. _

**Prologue**

A lanky, thin young woman climbed the cold, frozen steps in front of a tired two-story white house in Denver. Her arm is in a cast and she's trying desperately not to slip again. She doesn't have medical insurance and the free clinic isn't completely free. The last thing she wanted is to break her other arm or something. The only reason she's climbing the front door steps is because she's avoiding the land lady who lived right behind them and could see when they used their back sliding door.

They were late with their rent again.

The arm was almost done healing but the damage had been done. She had been laid off one job and the other job – the biggest paying one – wouldn't let her back in until she was better even if she could swing herself around a pole with a broken arm.

At least they understood that shit happened and she could go back on the active roster when it was off. Not before.

Meaning she was really, really late on rent.

She shoved the key through and shoved the door open. Immediately she felt the relief of the warmth of the house she spent hundreds of dollars warming.

It was worth it.

"Mag-NOL-ia!" A dark haired boy yelled. "Sunny won't give me the remote an' it's my turn!"  
"Fuck off, Alby! It's still my show!"

"Sunshine Uley – you didn't pay your cussin' dues this month so you don't get to use that sorta language." Magnolia Uley called out as she slammed the door behind her with her good arm. She was met with the sight of her home she shared with her three brothers and her sister in a complete mess. She had let the kids call in sick today even though they weren't really sick because she was too exhausted to fight with them about it. They were good kids, they really were. When things got tough they stuck together. The kids got more frustrated when shit happened and they were too young to help solve the problem. Which was why they hadn't been in the mood to go to school.

Her eight year old sister bounced off the tired couch and shook her head, pointing to a jar labeled 'cuss dues' on the wall. "I did! I found a stash of quarters from this summer underneath my mattress!"

"Alright, no dishes. When your show is over hand the remote over and do some homework." Magnolia stated, locking the door behind her. She knew the people in this neighborhood and they knew her but shit still went down. It wasn't a normal night if she wasn't wondering if that was a bullet or a car back firing.

"Can we call in sick tomorrow again?" Her little brother asked with eager eyes.

"Nah, baby. Sister Maria will come here and kick all our asses."

His eyes widened at the mention of the nun that had taken a special interest in their situation a few years ago. She had gotten the kids into a private catholic school on special funding for struggling families and had forced Magnolia to take a GED test (which she had failed but at least she had tried).

The dark haired boy whose full name no one was supposed to say out loud because it was too embarrassing sighed resigned and flopped on the couch that took up most of the space of their living room which was two steps away from their kitchen. A baby with dark hair and dark eyes played on the kitchen floor with a bowl full of cheerios in a dog bowl.

"Alby, stop trying to turn Jackson into a dog." She scolded as she peeled her layers off and pulled her coat off of her cast-covered arm carefully.

"Why not? He's gotta be fed and we gotta train him to go pee and shit like a puppy." Alby wanted to know landing on the couch next to his younger sister who watching My Little Pony with lots of interest.

Magnolia shook her head and hung her coat up in the closet.

It wasn't a fancy house. She could probably get a cheaper trailer and have enough room to put the baby in his own room. But, then they would be living on the outskirts of Denver instead of inside and she'd spend a fortune sending the kids in for school and going to work. Their lives were in the neighborhood. Uley's didn't cop out on their lives.

At least she and her siblings didn't. Their Daddy was a whole different story. They hadn't seen him for over a year and that was normal. Not since she told him to go fuck himself when she was sixteen after he said they were moving on again. He left and she kept the kids and things were better for it.

That had been like...six years ago. She was twenty two now and felt more like forty. They saw him once or twice a year. Denver held his sort of crowd so he was in town often...he just wasn't around. He never sent money or support of any kind but that too was pretty normal for him.

They had been fending for themselves their entire lives. Joshua – their father – was always bouncing from one woman to another, from one city to another, and there wasn't anything that they could do to stop that. He was a drifter, mostly working the betting circles around the boxing rings though. He used to fight when she was a kid but an accident had stopped that shit early on. He collected checks on all of them and as long as she didn't try to interfere with that – he didn't interfere with them. The only chance the kids had at a normal childhood was if she dropped out and took on the responsibility. She didn't want them to turn out like her and they damn well deserved better so Mags did it without a second thought. She wasn't a book-smart girl anyway. She would have ended up doing what she was doing anyway. At least now she was doing it for a good cause.

Maggie had told their dear Daddy to fuck himself in Denver. Had they been anywhere else they would have stayed there. It was strange at first, to call one place home. But then they got used to it. Actually made fucking friends.

Lived their fucked up crazy lives that in her opinion was a little too surreal sometimes.

The TV was blaring cartoons and she heard music coming from the boys room and her baby brother was crawling over the cheerio-covered kitchen floor with a dog collar around his diapered waist. The sink was full of dishes, the table covered in crayons and toys and bowls full of dried mac and cheese, and her head was pounding...but it was good to be home. She had spent the afternoon pouring drinks

She put the thirty she got in tips in a cookie tin on top of the fridge and shook her aching head.

One month wouldn't get them evicted. But it would put them behind on everything until summer hit and the kids could get summer jobs. Alby could mow lawns, Cash could pick up more hours, Sunny was old enough to maybe be like a mother's helper or something. But that wasn't until the summer.

Maggie made most of her money at a strip club called the Lumberyard. The tips were good, she had some regulars, and the rest she made up with her other two jobs. Their brother Cash always kept a job. Different shit. This past summer he had worked a landscaping crew and other...odd jobs...Cash always had something working.

The house rule was that forty percent of everything went to the 'house'. Meaning – her for bills.

They hadn't seen Alby's Mama since she ditched him at the hospital, her Mama (also Cash's and Jax's Mama) was in the pen doing three for assault in Illinois and before that they hadn't seen her in years, and Sunny's Mama was a hooker on crack but she had parents in Louisiana that sent a hundred bucks up each month to assist. She usually worked sixty hours a month at the 'Lumberyard', bar-tended each afternoon, and was on the morning maid roster at a hotel. She cleared enough to cover them but most of her money came from dancing. And most of what they relied on was from her dancing. There wasn't much else out there for a twenty two year old high school drop out with four kids and no GED.

There wasn't anything she could do but wait for her arm to heal.

They needed a new washer in the fall and it had wiped out their savings. She should have pressed the land lady harder but getting anything out of that woman was impossible. Cash had read over the lease and said that since it wasn't mentioned in the language or something then it wasn't covered and they'd have to get a lawyer. Or she could have just not gotten a washer and gone to a laundromat – but then that would have been a fortune and hours a week she didn't have to spend.

Maggie leaned against the counter...for a moment her mind drifted over the endless things on her plate and melancholy settled on her shoulders.

Jackson looked up at her from the floor and banged his dog bowl against the ground, spilling more cheerios.

"Alby, come clean up the mess on the kitchen floor!" She yelled, snapping to attention and picking up Jackson with her good arm. He technically wasn't the younger kids' brother. He was Cash and her's Mama's kid. It...got complicated with their family. Magnolia had harassed, pestered, and nagged her Dad into getting a vasectomy when she got old enough to figure out there was a way for her Dad to stop knocking up random women across the United States of America. Jackson's father was most likely the thug that drove the getaway car for her Mama when she beat up that woman in Chicago. He was incarcerated as well. Magnolia had gotten a call from her Mama about a year ago. Mama had told her she was in jail, seven months pregnant, and could she take the baby when it was born?

The boys had gotten the privilege of naming him and named him after their favorite character on their favorite show – Sons of Anarchy. They watched it for the violence and general badassery – she watched because there were some very, very good looking male specimen that did lots of nude scenes.

It didn't matter who Jack's parents were to the kids. They were all family.

Jackson rested his head against her shoulder and made a move to grab her left boob as she juggled him on her hip without hurting her bad arm.

"Such a guy already." She sighed but kissed his soft head as she pounded up the stairs to check on the upstairs.

Three bedrooms and one bathroom. The yard was small, the driveway cracked, and the neighbors loud. But it was home and had been home since she started making steady money as a stripper when she was younger. Sunny and the baby shared a room, Cash and Alby shared the other. And she claimed her own because well...she took her clothes off for a living to support the family – that meant she got her own room. At least that's what Magnolia told her kids.

She rapped her palm against a music-pounding nude-women-poster-covered door.

The music paused and she heard muffled cussing.

"I'm opening the door. Cover up." She announced loudly, opening the door even though she had seen it all anyway.

Her brother was sprawled on his bed, shirtless, with a topless bottle-blonde girl straddling him – also in a state of topless-ness.

"Hi, Magnolia." Shontelle smiled at her boyfriend's sister. They had been dating for three months which was pretty long in his track record.

"Hi, Shontelle sweetie." She greeted stepping her heeled foot over questionable dirty underwear and rocking Jacks on her hip. "I don't want to interrupt but I was wondering -"

"If I got paid today?" Cash asked, he leaned over and grabbed a cigarette from his bedside table and stuck it between his teeth, lighting it after his blonde girlfriend found her bra and clasped it back on.

"Yea, baby." She said nodding giving Shontelle an awkward smile.

Cash looked like her – light olive skin, a lanky look even though they weren't exactly tall, and caramel hair. Their father...well...they weren't sure. Uley was like a weird, unusual name. Their theory was that it was a fake identity or something. Either way it was their name. And they figured that their Dad was Latino because it was the only nationality he looked like. Black hair, dark skin, dark eyes. Their Mom had been a natural blonde from Texas. Their looks came straight from their Daddy's side.

She could still see the traces of baby-fat on Cash's face. It could be hard to see, between the scar on his cheek (he said it was from a knife fight but it was really from falling out of a tree) and the responsibility that fell on his shoulders. He was...she couldn't do it without him. He handled so much shit for the family. They did this together. Like they did everything.

"Yea. Swung by the bank and cashed it in. I got something else for you too."

He leaned back and reached in his front jean pocket, clenching his cigarette between his teeth. He jumped up and gave her a roll of cash. "It's rent."

She eyed the thick wad and realized it was fifties and hundreds.

"What the fuck?" Maggie asked staring at it.

He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I was going to run it over to the crazy bitch myself but I didn't want her asking questions."

Magnolia nodded slowly, trying to figure out if she should ask or not about where this came from. Rent...rent was expensive. He didn't make that with his current job of loading boxes after school at a warehouse three times a week. What'd he do...the options were endless...fake I.D., steal a car, helped liberate something from the back of a truck...all of those options were things that she had tried or done when she was his age to do the very same thing he was trying to do.

Take care of family. So here was no way she could yell at him. They had rules. Don't get caught and don't do anything stupid.

Use your head and do it for family.

She nodded, swallowing, and stuck it in her jean pocket. "I'll have Alby run it over to her. She won't ask him questions...do I ask?"

He shook his head no. "Nothing you gotta worry 'bout."

"Just don't get in trouble, that's all I ask." She replied, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "That includes babies, little brother. No getting this one in any kind of trouble. We don't need her brothers comin' over with a shot gun."

Shontelle shook her head "It'd be my Mom you'd have to worry about. She still thinks I'm waiting until marriage." She waggled what looked like a purity ring on her finger.

"Well...that's...yea." Maggie trailed off and shook her head.

"Use condoms, check." Cash said nodding his head with a smirk. "Anything else?"

"Use your head about money. Don't do anything that's gonna get us in trouble." She nodded and stepped her way out of the room so they could get back to their fooling around.

Maggie stepped down the stairs and caught her brother by the shirt collar as he bolted past.

"Go and give this to Mrs. Rinaldi." She instructed giving him the bills. "Tell her it's rent and that we're caught up now – wear a coat and gloves."

He nodded with a relieved smile. She heard him stop and tell Sunny in an excited voice. "We got rent!"

He bounded to the coat rack and pulled his coat off and raced out the door pulling it on in a hurry.

"SLOW DOWN!" She yelled loudly after him. "DON'T BREAK YOUR ARM TOO!"

Maggie walked into the living area which was about two steps parted from the kitchen and sat on the edge of the couch. The youngest biological Uley was doing her homework and watching My Little Pony. Maggie was a Carebear girl herself but My Little Pony was a favorite too. She slid next to her and slid Jacks on her lap.

"How you doing, sweetie?" She asked, checking in.

Sunshine was as tough as any of them but she was by far the softest. She was the most tenderhearted person in the entire world. Her Mama had showed up when Sunny was two and left her. They didn't know she had any family out there until a few years ago when her Grandparents tracked them down asking about their Granddaughter. They were too elderly to take on a kid full time but they sent money, called, and Sunny went down to see them every summer. Maybe that was why she was so sweet. It'd be nice to go somewhere to get spoiled and loved on. It'd definitely soften a kid up. She was always so thoughtful. Always bringing home extra rolls of toilet paper from the school bathroom and she was smart too – she could jack a tampon machine of quarters in her sleep. And always remember to grab some tampons and pads for her older sister.

"I'm fine." She looked down at her paper and wrote something very carefully before looking back up with a little smile. "I'm glad we got the rent – did Cash get it?"

Maggie nodded. "Yea he did – so you don't have to worry now, 'kay? I'll be back on the working roster in a couple of weeks and it'll all go back to normal. I promise."

Sunny smiled and nodded. Her dark, coiled hair was pulled in a pony tail. Sunny was half-Black on her Mama's side. Maggie usually did her hair better than a pony tail but with on arm it was hard to braid. It was super curly and they called it the 'It' because it seemed to have a life of its own.

Sunny showed her her homework and explained. "We gotta write about what we wanna be when we grow up."

"That's original." She toned out drily. Maggie looked at the carefully written words and smiled at her littlest sister. "What do you want to be?"

Sunny grinned. "I want to be nun like Sister Maria."

Magnolia blinked for a moment.

Nun.

Okay. Well... that was a development.

The last time she checked Sunny wanted to be a veterinarian so she could make sure all the animals in the world were looked after. "Well, that's certainly nice. What brought that on?" She inquired, feeling a little impressed with herself. A stripper raising a future Nun. Take that gossiping Parish bitches.

"I want to be a helper like Sister Maria and help kids like us go to nice schools." Sunny explained. She grinned some more and held up her paper to her face and read out loud the various reasons why she was going to marry Jesus someday.

"You should make another copy and give it to Sister Maria. She'll love it."

Sunny nodded happily and went back to her paper.

Albie came back and settled at the coffee table to do his homework. She told them to watch Jacks as she went into the kitchen to clean up. Magnolia – who usually went by Maggie – was thin and had perpetual shadows underneath her eyes. She wore heels that clacked when she walked and announced her presence. Maggie didn't share her brother's curly hair – instead her hair was wavy or straight down her back. It depended on the humidity or something. Because of dancing she kept her face done out of habit, her nails perfect, wore heels because she was more used to them than not, and was always moving. Moving, cleaning, thinking, trying, doing, tapping nails, chewing her lower lip, folding laundry, swinging a child on her too-thin hip, dancing, walking with intent, always moving, always doing. Sometimes when the kids were busy and it was safe to let it all go she'd lay in the middle of the floor of whatever place they were living at and stare at the ceiling as if she had been struck by lightning. Because that's what her life felt like. Lightning bolts crashing over the work she had done, the dreams she wanted to have, like she was going no where but everywhere at the same time.

Maggie lit a cigarette and worked on it as she cleaned up the kitchen trying to avoid getting her arm cast wet. When she was younger, before she decided to keep herself and the kids in Denver, she had lived life full throttle. She had...there had been moments where she could have sworn she was burning alive. And it felt good to run away..run away from the feeling of lost and lonely. There was no one to tell her no, no one to tell her to be careful, to use her goddamn head.

Maggie wasn't like that anymore.

She couldn't be that way.

She didn't have anyone caring after her other than her brothers and sister. She worked hard, she played harder – but family. Family was her reason. Do it for family. That was what she told the kids. If you don't know what to do then know you gotta do it for family. It was the first rule she had learned when she was a kid.

The sound of music stopped upstairs and Cash came down with his girl wrapped around him.

"What's for supper?" He wanted to know.

"The fuck I know, I just got home shithead." She replied rolling her eyes.

"I gotta get Shontelle home. Do you have a twenty? I can grab a pizza on the way back."  
She leaned against the counter and raised her eyes to the cookie tin. "Up there, take what you need."

He zipped his black hoodie and pulled on his leather jacket and grabbed the tin. "We good for bills this month?"

"We made it through. It won't be as easy even after I get back on the active roster at the Club. The Hotel manager called me last week and told me that it was a permanent lay-off."

He shook his head, his jaw twitching. "Fuck, want me to go down and talk to him?"  
She looked at him, knowing what kind of talking he was planning on doing. That's how it worked, she was pretty sure a few other girls who were laid had brothers, sons, fathers, cousins, boyfriend, husbands or whatever heading up to see the manager. Rudy was probably hold up at his Mama's basement waiting it out.

"It'll be okay. It was shit pay and I can find something better."

It wasn't exactly the truth but she seriously didn't rely heavily on her maid work. There were other hotels that might want her on their morning roster and maybe she could ask around and see if anyone needed a morning sitter for their kids. Then she could stay home with Jackson instead of passing him off to daycare each morning. The cost of daycare almost made it worthless to work sometimes.

As if she was reading her mind Shontelle piped up. "You could like try cam work."  
"Cam work?"

"It's basically what you do at the club except you do it on a webcam and get paid." Cash explained.

"Stripping on camera – a web camera. My cousin clears like um...five hundred dollars a week...I think." Shontelle furrowed her brow as she thought. She shook her head and gave her a smile as she slid her hand into Cash's back pocket. "She has regular clients and she works really hard at it. You'll need a web-camera for the lap top."

"Do we have one of those?" Maggie asked.

Computers weren't really a thing she did. She e-mailed and she face-booked. But when it came to other stuff – she was just too busy and too broke.

"We can get it set up." Cash replied.

"Bambi on the internet..." She ran her good hand through her hair and shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

Bambi was the stage name she used. It wasn't like she could go on stage and be like 'Hi! I'm Maggie! I have four kids that aren't my own and I need the money so fork it over!" Nope, the way to do it was to play their fantasy. And no one's fantasy was four kids and a high school drop out stripper.

That's how it rolled. She walked into the house a job short and late on rent with a broken arm and now she was standing in her kitchen her rent paid and a potential income source on the horizon. Tomorrow it could all go away. Tonight something worse could happen. Or maybe it wouldn't

Shit rolled that way.

She just used her head and did it for family.

What she couldn't expect was what happened. None of them did. As she watched her brother escort his girl to the car when he stopped by the mailbox and got the mail.

Cash stared at papers he ripped out of a large, yellow envelope - the kind that held important papers. She rapped on the doorway to get his attention.

"Watcha gawking at?!" She yelled out, pressing up against the screen door with her good arm on her hip.

"WE'RE FUCKING NATIVE AMERICAN!"

She waved them inside after a beat of staring and thinking she had definitely better get her hearing checked. Cash and Shontelle came back inside. The younger kids heard the yelling and came to the door, crowding around her.

"Joshua's Mom died and left us her house on a Native American Reservation in Washington State." Cash explained to the point.

"What?!" Maggie grabbed the papers but even as she grabbed it she knew she wouldn't be able to understand it as well as they. She wasn't..like...dumb. She had medical words memorized and she could read numbers so bills weren't that much of an issue. It wasn't like she couldn't read labels at the grocery store...she just...Maggie had missed too much school growing up and when she dropped out she had been held back once and was failing all of her classes without any hope of catching up.

She grasped the papers in her hand and stared at the words. Some words she recognized, simple words, the meaning of the papers were hard to find. It was a letter. Addressed to her. By a lawyer from somewhere called La Push. But then the words got technical or foggy and she had to sound them out in her head. Without trying she passed it back to her brother.

"It's from a lawyer from La Push. It says that Dad had a Mom and she died and left you a fucking _house_."

"What the fuck?" Magnolia's voice cracked in shock as she snatched the papers again and Cash snatched them immediately back.

"If this is right – Joshua is her son. He's a registered member of the Quileute Native American Tribe. Joshua's a fucking American Indian."

"Wait, does that make us American Indian?"

"Like in the movies?"

"But I'm Black? Does that mean I'm a Black Indian?"

"Wow, you're like an Indian Brave or something...that's fucking hot, baby."

The sound of her siblings (and Shontelle) filled her ears and her mind as she tried to think it all through.

Okay. Joshua. Had a mother. Always figured that – thought she was dead. Now she really was. Joshua wasn't Mexican but an actual real live American Indian...the kind that had special land and like...Indian stuff. She wasn't sure what all that meant. And what it meant for them.

Maggie sank herself onto the couch and shook her head. Cash settled himself with his girl on a chair and looked over the papers more thoroughly.

"Yea, the will she had clearly leaves the house to you and it's all paid up. Four bedrooms, on tribal land..." He trailed off and shook his head. "I didn't even know that he had a Mom."  
"Me neither." She echoed quietly, her mind thinking hard.

She looked at the house they paid almost a grand for each month. They covered all the utilities – heat, electricity, water, gas. They didn't do air conditioning in the summer. Plus rent, and then there was the insurance for the van and gas to fill it up and it ate gas like the monster it was, food for them cost over a hundred each week if they weren't careful, there were bus passes to pay for the kids, daycare for Jackson during the day when she worked...the list went on.

"He sent us this too." Cash held up an envelope. "A packet on the Quileute Reservation. It's only got like four hundred people living and the tribe is like...eight hundred strong. Tops."

"A packet? Like a brochure?" She asked incredulously. He nodded and Maggie asked. "What about the reservation?"

He shrugged and read it over. "They got a free tribal school they look pretty proud of. They make their money fishing and running a marina and small-time resort."  
"What about clinics and doctors and shit?"

"They got one." Cash read it over. "Sliding scale fee."

Maggie was quiet for a moment before asking quickly. "Does your cousin really make money stripping on web cam?"  
Shontelle nodded. "It takes time to like build up a base but she says if you do it consistently and keep things fresh and stuff then it pays pretty good money."

"All from home?"

Cash leveled his gaze on his older sister. "What's in your head?"

"I'm thinking how nice it would be not to worry about rent and to work from home." Magnolia replied, holding his gaze. He squeezed his girl next to him and shook his head. "Maggie, we can't go there. We'll sell the house and keep the money as a back up."

The younger kids looked at her with wide eyes and she said slowly. "...I think it's worth thinkin' about."

XXXXXXX

I've updated this with some new edited features. Mostly fixing typos and grammar stuff. :)


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi, Winter again. :)_

_Disclaimer - Don't own anything. Nada. Zilch. _

_I do love feedback so don't be shy. :)_

**Chapter One**

The group of them lined up in a straight row and stared at it. Except for Joshua. He was passed out in the truck. The brown house stared back at its new family. It was over eighty years old. It had seen the supernatural impossibilities, it had felt anger and love and grief and joy to the belly of its structure. It was not pretty. It was pretty fucking plain. There was no paint on the wood, the windows were dirty, and the porch had a swing that was crooked. Leaves and green covered one side of the house making it look like the forest surrounding the clearing was slowly invading. The lawn had been cut recently but because Magnolia had asked the lawyer to set that up while she got them lined up to get out of Denver. There were no toys or anything in the yard. The dirt road that led to the house wasn't even gravel. They had passed the exit path that led to the house three times. It was on a longer, windy road and hidden by trees.

The Uley's were having an off day.

Usually they were loud, usually they were all over the place.

But they had spent the past week traveling from Denver to this house. They had stopped at every state line (like tradition) and taken pictures, they had bribed their father for the camper that he used and camped out instead of using hotels, and they were a little familiar with each other. This wasn't what had them quiet.

It was that the Uley's (despite living in a camper a good amount of their childhood) weren't...nature people. They parked their camper in parking lots and abandoned warehouses. Or people's yards. Or alleys. There was that one time when they parked on a Fairground. When they traveled – yes – they parked in camping sights. But never like...permanently.

They stared at a chopping block with an ax stuck in it.

"I think we have to chop wood." Alby whispered loudly. "Can I do it?!"

"No." Maggie, Cash, and Sunny said in time together. Even Jackson seemed alarmed a little.

The silence was broken by their tired chuckles.

It had been six months since that late January day when they got the news that they had had a Grandma who left them a house. Six months she had been working her fingers to an even farther state of work than before. Taking more hours at the club saving up money, learning the ropes of transferring her dancing to the web-cam so she could have some sort of income going in, getting the kids ready to move out of State. She was tired, had been tired for months, but she was here. And there weren't words.

Except that there were.

She knew the facts of the house. They all did. Three bedrooms, it was eighty years old, and had been in the Uley family for generations. She had tentatively asked if there were other Uley's in La Push and the lawyer said Clara (her Grandma) had other children and quickly changed the subject. She didn't press.

She gave herself and them a year. This house was a chance. It was all hers. No one could evict them from it. No rent to pay just utilities, a property tax, and the kids.

No rent. No mortgage. That right there was plain relief in itself. She had to be realistic though. Four kids was still four kids. The money they got from her siblings various generous family members helped out a little but most of it was on her. They had left everything behind to do this.

One year living in this house. Seeing if life could be different for them.

If not, they'd go back to Denver.

She tapped her heel boots together and snapped to it.

"Let's get ourselves inside." Maggie announced, stepping forward, juggling the baby on her hip.

The group of them filed up onto the porch and waited for Cash to find the keys and open the front door. It was a sturdy house. That was for sure. It had been well maintained over the years. They had been in some bad houses and there a sense of solidness about the plain wooden structure. Although, it could use a coat of paint.

The inside was bare except for a rocking chair and some tribal art work...a rug or two. She expected this. They had their furniture packed together in moving van they had rented. It had taken a small caravan to get here. They had their van – an old orange conversion van that they had since she had managed to pass a drivers exam (it was a long story) and had the money to buy them a vehicle. They had hitched the camper to the back of it and the moving trailer to her Dad's sainted truck.. It was like a goddamn parade.

Joshua had let them use his camper for a small price and had spent a majority of the trip drinking and looking more miserable than ever. They had learned to ignore him. Such as now – he was passed out in his truck. And they were exploring his childhood home which was now their new homes. Some fathers might take the opportunity to say 'oh yes, this is where Mom used to read me stories' or 'this is where I learned to ride a bike'. Or something like that. Nope. Joshua was plastered against the window of his truck reeking of whiskey and stale cigarettes.

The house itself was ready for a family. At least, that's what Maggie told herself to ease off her own nerves. When you walked into the house you were immediately greeted with the sight of stairs and a living room-type space. It had a fireplace. The rocking chair was beside it as was a rug. In the back, through a large entry way was the kitchen. It was not painted, like the rest of the house it was left natural, and had all the appliances.

She knew from the lawyer that they were there but it was still a relief to see them, touch them, ensure that they were real. The sink had a window to the back of the clearing. There was no fence, which worried her, but she liked being able to keep an eye on the kids. The back door was also in the kitchen leading out to a small back patio-type structure.

This was a kitchen she could like. This was a kitchen she could see herself making lunches and serving up weekend pancakes.

There was a was a wood burning fire stove. Like the kind out of a Little House On The Prairie re-run. Why they needed a wood burning fire-stove and a fireplace was a little beyond her. It just seemed like a recipe to burn the house down but she figured they could use one to heat the house. That is...if Cash could chop wood...Maggie made a mental note to ask him to try it out when the younger kids were too busy to get themselves hurt watching him.

"It has a pantry!"

Maggie peaked in behind Sunny and saw rows and rows of shelving. "I don't know what we're going to put in here. We'll never have enough food to fill it."

They turned and she ran a hand over the counter. Dusty. The fridge good. The stove was in need of a cleaning. Everything needed to be cleaned before they did like actual living. But it...she smiled despite herself. Despite all of the things she had yet to do and all the uncertainty – this was HER house.

Their house, of course, but like technically hers. It was in her name.

There was another staircase to the second floor through the kitchen and a small laundry room beside it. She wrinkled her nose. They had brought their old/new set from the house since they had bought it. It was a hope that they could sell it and use the ones in the house but it looked pretty old. She bounded up the stairs, Jackson grabbing at her hoop earrings, and looking bright-eyed around at his new home. She kissed his soft forehead and rocked him back and forth as they explored around. Three bedrooms that were bigger than they had ever lived in.

"I think there's an attic." Cash said looking up at a latch in the ceiling of the hallway. He pulled on it and a ladder came down. He climbed it quickly and coughed as he shook his head and stepped back down. "Yea, not gonna happen anytime soon."

"That bad?"

"I think there are more webs up there than in a cave or somethin'." He said shaking his head and letting the ladder rise back up into the ceiling.

Cash leaned against the wall and rummaged in his leather jacket pocket for his smoke and lighter. He said he was going down to half a pack a day but he never did. She studied her brother for a moment, tilting her head, and running her hand through her messy, brown hair. He had left his girl, Shontelle, and his life to follow her here. She wished she could say that she had some parental hold on him. But she had been a stripper and supporting four kids at his age and he had been her rock, been her person for too long for her to have some say over how he lived his life. She had raised him but they had both grown up way to fast. And they were the same that way. Both came from the same mother, same father. He was the first person who had ever loved her. For a long time she was the only one who loved him. That sort of had a bonding affect.

That and she was big enough to say her sixteen year old brother was her best friend.

Cash bit the cigarette between his teeth and lit it.

"Down! Down!" Jackson wanted but she couldn't give. Not until this house was Jackson proof. Completely.

"We need a fucking list." She groaned as they pounded down the stairs.

Alby and Sunny were poking at the wood-burning stove.

"Don't you'll burn yourself or something." She said, passing Jackson off to Sunny. "Uley's, I need your non-divided attention!"

"I think you mean undivided." Alby said.

"Same thing. Don't be a meanie." Sunny pinched his arm.

"Fuck, that hurt!" Alby whined pinching her back.

"Knock it the fuck off." Cash stated coolly, leaning against the bannister of the stairs. Sunny ran up to him and grabbed his hand, like she liked to, and stood next to him.

"Okay, I need everyone's focus today. We've got to clean this bitch up before we can move any of the furniture or our boxes in."

"Seriously?" Alby complained.

"Yes, seriously."

"Alby and Ariel find the cleaning supplies, Sunny watches Jackson – don't let him put anything in his mouth or fall or do anything...at all...and me and Cash will switch the camper with the moving trailer in case Joshua decides to wake up and drives off with all of our shit – so make sure the camper is cleaned out of all your stuff...NOW GO!"

XXXXXXXX

It was like everything snapped.

Like a rubber band. Like everything snapped right into place and they didn't even know it was bad. That it wasn't in the right shape. Because it had felt good, it had felt fine, it had felt normal. As normal as a pack of shapeshifting werewolves could be. But three years ago when Jacob took command, when Jacob took his rightful place as Alpha of both Packs...uniting them once again...

...it had been like a snap.

It almost felt cruel. All of that hard-work, all of that trauma, all that weight that had fallen on Sam's shoulder seemed belatedly cruel. He had earned Alpha, he was still dominant – even now...but dear fucking God...he wasn't the right Alpha. He wasn't the born Alpha. And when Jacob stepped in, when he made the call to merge the Packs...it had all become so much clearer. Who they were, what they were...it had always been known but now it was...it was much clearer.

It had been three years since the Pack split, since Bella came home pregnant with a half-vampire child. It had been three years since Jacob had split only to come back after to force Sam down. It hadn't been pretty. It had been pretty fucking awful. They had been at it for days. A week.

It wasn't Sam's fault.

It wasn't his fault that he had been Alpha. It wasn't his fault that he had been the first to change and the first to take on the rest. It wasn't his fault that Jake had been a tormented teenager who didn't want to phase in the first place when he changed and left him to be Alpha. It wasn't his fault that he was a Alpha, through and through, and his will was so dominate that it took a true Alpha to rip it away from him, to show him that yes...maybe it would be better different. It was...so damn complex.

Ties to the Pack, ties to each other, ties that bind. They rewound and redid the ties and when it was done. The Pack was restructured and their Alpha was standing there. Waiting for them. And they were united.

You could think that Sam would have been exiled, a pariah, or that it would at least would have been awkward. But it wasn't. Well, a little awkward. But he was Pack. He was their brother. He was brother, wolf, Pack. That meant more than past. History that was neither Jake or Sam's fault.

Over the years his dominance slipped as others came up. Sam finally married Emily. Leah was not a bridesmaid. Instead she left with her beloved Alpha's blessing and hadn't come back. Sam had let himself be okay with that. Emily hadn't. But that was how she was. Trying to make everything better when she couldn't fix it.

Sam was a strong member, a necessary and vital member of the Pack. He was part of them. But he was no longer Alpha, he was no longer Beta, and he felt good about that.

All he wanted now was to slowly phase out of the Pack, be a good husband to Emily, and live out his life in the peace and quiet of La Push. The phasing out wasn't going to happen until Emily got pregnant. That's what they agreed. A baby was as good as any reason to phase out, until then...he'd stay and help train up the younger generation.

He didn't expect for the one person he hated most, the one person he figured had died in a ditch a long time ago, to show up after twenty two years of a disappearing act.

No one did.

And no one in hell would have guessed what came after that.

XXXXXXX

"Bambbiiiii..."

The rough voice slurred and 'Bambi' rolled over from her sleeping position on her stomach and stared up at her father.

"Joshua, what the fuck? I was sleepin'." She complained burying her head in her pillow. Bambi was Magnolia, Bambi was her stripper name. Joshua had gotten a kick once he had found out and had called her that ever since. She liked to keep Bambi separate from Magnolia but she knew better than to argue with her father about it. You had to pick your battles...sometimes.

Magnolia was sleeping on a sleeping bag in her newly cleaned room. They had spent their first day cleaning up the house and making sure that it was Jackson-proof before they moved anything in. They were used to sleeping in sleeping bags and camping trailers. So it wasn't that big of a deal. She was just bone tired because...well..

It was fucking too quiet in La Push. No cars, no trains, no buses, loud music passing by, cars backfiring, gun shots, or voices yelling. Just...nature. And it was unnerving. She ended up scrambling through their shit at one am and hooking up a radio to play while she slept. Maggie felt and reached for her pack and leaned against her elbow as she bit it between her teeth and lit it with her lucky lighter.

"What do you want, Joshua?" She groaned. "I haven't even had my coffee yet? Where are the kids? What the fuck time is it?"

"Hell I know. I need to talk to you."

She glared up at him with sleep in her eyes. "Talk."

He took a swig from his lucky whiskey flask and shook his head as it went down. "Naw, I gotta talk to you like...face to face."

"This is face to face."

"Privately."

"I don't see anyone around."

"Just fucking put some clothes on and meet me outside." He stalked out of the room running his hand through his hair with frustration.

She watched him with muted amusement. What the hell was bothering him?

Magnolia shimmied out of the sleeping bag she had coveted and ignored her father's yelling as she stumbled into the bathroom and showered awake, throwing on whatever clothes she had nearest, and finished her smoke between. The kids were hanging out on the deck eating bowls of cereal and nursing coffee and juice. Jackson was on Sunny's lap drinking from his Spiderman sippy cup.

"What time is it?" She asked as she pulled a band through her tousled damp hair.

Alby checked his phone. "Ten fifteen a.m."

Maggie ran her eyes over the kids and saw that Cash was missing.

"Where's Cash?"  
"He's in the laundry room setting up the washing machine and dryer."

She was impressed. Kids up and eating, laundry room being set up, and she had only been up for like twenty minutes.

Joshua was not impressed. "Come on, we gotta go."

"Where?" She insisted, tilting her head and putting a hand on her hip.

He shrugged non-commitedly. "I gotta talk to you."

"You're not getting any money."

"You need a job, right?" He said suddenly, completely ignoring her comment.

Maggie studied him for a moment, nodding slowly. "Yea, I was planning on looking once we got settled."

"Well, I maybe got somethin' for ya. Just get in the damn truck, Bambi."

She exchanged glances with her kids before stepping off the porch and rubbing her hands against her arms. It was nippy. It was barely August and it wasn't even what she'd considered warm. Of course she was wearing a flimsy cropped shirt that hung off of her.

"I got my phone on me, Cash is in charge, start loading in the beds if you can." She ordered as she followed him to his truck.

They saluted and watched them silently as they pulled out of the drive and onto the main road. Without a jolt of caffeine or food in her she wasn't in any mood for his shit. So she turned the radio up and huddled on her side of the truck trying to wake up before he took her to wherever he was taking her.

She didn't fucking care how great a job this was – if there even was a job – she was too tired to dance in front of some skanky ass small-town strip joint-pimp. She figured she'd have to eventually but there was an art of mental preparation you had to do. And it wasn't right after you rolled out of a sleeping bag.

They drove for about fifteen minutes until they were out of the La Push border and heading back into the neighboring town of Forks. He turned into a lot surrounding a closed bar and parked in a handicap parking spot.

"We're not supposed to park here."

"It's closed, no one's gonna fucking care." Joshua replied. "Get out, I want you to meet someone."

She hopped out of his truck and slammed the door shut, following him into the joint. According to the un-lit sign it was called "Three Sheets". Clever for a small town joint.

From what she could surmise it probably covered La Push and Forks in the ways of bars.

"Is this the only bar in town?"

"There's a Sports Bar and Grill but it's not our kind of scene, Bambi." Joshua explained as he pushed open the door and walked into the dimly lit bar.

"And this is?" She questioned, wondering what he was meaning.

The chairs were still up and the only person in the bar was slumped over it, passed out, and most likely drooling (from her experience, they always drooled). The bar was a classic bar with dark walls lined with random photos and tables scattered around. There was a pool table, a dart board, and a jukebox..

A crusty, thin woman with fake red hair and ink on her wrist ambled out with a cup of coffee and a annoyed expression. "I thought I kicked your sorry ass outta here last night, Uley."

"Looking good, Mabel."

"Fuck off, deadbeat."

Maggie raised her brow and looked at the woman with curiosity. The woman matched her gaze and raised her brow too.

"This Bambi?"

"Yep."

Magnolia interjected. "Actually Bambi's my stage name. My real name is Magnolia – he just likes to forget."

The woman raised her brow. "You didn't mention she was a stripper."

"Why else would I have a name like that?" Maggie shot back.

The woman shook her head and smirked. "Well, then..._Bambi_...what do you got in the way of experience?"

"I gotta number of a bar in Denver. Bartended for a year there...officially. Ask for Joe. Tell him your askin' for a reference for Maggie." She walked over to the bar and picked up a napkin, scribbling a number and a name on it and passed it over to the woman. Her stomach was growling, she was growing more suspicious of Joshua by the minute, and yet...she really needed to line something up – anything up.

"How many hours are you available?"

"I got four kids to take care of so I can only do a three or so late nights a week. But I'm good for every afternoon and I'm alright with evenings."

"I have a rowdy crowd that comes in here – pent up loggers, fishermen comin' back from sea, that kind – you good for rough? We get the kind that the clean and friendly sports bar kicks out or has banned."

"I'm a stripper from Denver." Maggie replied flatly. "I'm not promising I'm some sort of drunk-whisperer or whatever...but I can handle myself."

"Come around here and make this fine gentlemen an Alabama Slammer for his breakfast." Mabel said, tilting her head in the direction of the passed out patron on the bar. He didn't move.

Not even when Magnolia went behind the bar and after a moment studying the bar and the layout began to fix him an Alabama Slammer. Maggie couldn't read very well and there was probably a lot about her head and learning that she needed to fix someday. But...she could do her liquor. She had grown up around it. It was one of the few things that she knew for sure. She knew her liquor. She knew her drinks.

So she fixed and Alabama Slammer and slapped Joshua's hand away when he made a grab for it because he wasn't allowed to have Vodka – it made him mean. It made Mabel laugh and nod her head.

"When do you want to start?"

"Um...next week?"

"Fill out this paperwork," Mabel reached under the bar and gave her a packet of information. "And run it over to me before you start so I can file it."

She tried to take it from Mabel but Mabel held on to it. "I am not doing this for your Daddy, girl. He still owes me money from the early 90s. And he's got a bad reputation around these parts. But he says your taking care of your siblings and that I can respect. I've had trouble with flakey employees – I'll understand family emergencies but if I get a whiff of any funny business or you taking advantage of my good graces that'll be that and you'll be on your way. Hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am." She replied, Mabel let the paper slide from her hand. For a moment, even though they couldn't' be any more different, she was reminded of Sister Maria.

"Don't call me that."

"Don't call me Bambi." She returned.

Joshua piped in. "She can bring the kids in once in a while?"

Magnolia stilled for a second before whirling around and glaring and hissing at him. "What did you do?"

He blinked and shrugged lazily, but didn't look her in the eyes. "I'm just tryin' to be helpful here."  
"Are you fucking kidding me? You're never helpful. What did you DO?"  
He shifted from one foot to another before cocking his head in the direction of the door. "Let's get a bite to eat."

"Joshua fucking Uley, what did you do?" She practically wailed, not caring if she woke the drunk at the bar or ruined her impression in front of her new boss. This was ridiculous – he was never like this. The only way to get her Dad to 'fess up or do anything was to hound him like a dog. And she was good at that.

"Let's go get food and then we'll talk."  
"I swear if someone is comin' after you for money again I'm gonna give you up this time. I mean it!" She hounded as she waved goodbye to her new boss and exited the bar. Despite her suspicion she was surprisingly grateful at Joshua for helping her find a job.

That had never, ever happened before. Like ever.

Meaning something was terribly wrong.

Maybe he was dying? Maggie realized that was too much to hope for and it was probably thugs looking to off him or something. She was glad she brought her handguns from Denver. She'd have to clean them tonight when the little kids went to bed.

Joshua didn't say a word but took her to a little diner in Forks and let her order breakfast. It was a lazy Sunday morning and she figured most people were at church. She made a mental note to find the local Catholic parish so she could get them back into Catechism. She was raising a future nun, after all. She studied her father for a moment. She knew that he didn't know or care that his youngest wanted to be a nun. He'd probably laugh and make her feel bad about it. Of course, she highly doubted that Sunny would take the vows. That whole celibacy thing was kind of a killer and Sunny was a Uley. She'd be all about the sex someday. Just hopefully way, way, way past the questionable age that Maggie had her experienced her own sexual debut.

"You going to tell me what this is all about or are we just going to sit here and stare at each other – thank you for helping me find that job, by the way – but I still want to know what the fuck is going on."

"You and those kids cuss more than fishermen." He muttered shaking his head.

"We learned it from you."

The waitress came and served them up their coffee. She gratefully poured two sugars and a creamer in it and started gulping. She wished she could light up. She usually had her morning cigarette with a cup of coffee. Instead she ordered a stack of pancakes and bacon to stock up fuel for the day.

Maggie chomped down on the pancakes and waited for Josh to hurry up and give her what he felt she needed to know.

"So. I have a wife and son in La Push."

Maggie blinked and slowly put down her fork. The table was bare except for the usual condiments including maple syrup. For a moment she had an honest debate with herself. Coffee – which was scalding hot and would be more gratifying. Or maple syrup. Her eyes rested across the diner on the sight of a police officer enjoying a cup of coffee. Coffee would mean possible arrest.

She went with syrup.

Maggie grabbed the maple syrup and flicked it harshly at him, glops of it splattered onto his hair and face and jacket. "YOU SAID YOU GOT FIXED!"

The diner silenced around them as the words flung out. She didn't care at that particular moment. Liar, liar pants on fire. What the fuck!? He got himself a fucking wife? His women were always fucking crazy so she'd be the one raising the kid. Her Mom was doing time for assault and battery (it should have been attempted murder), Sunny's Mom was on crack, and who knows where Alby's Mom was. There was a string of crazy with his fingerprints all over them across America and none of them were parent material. Whoever she was -

"I left them before I met your Mom."

She stared at him and slowly lowered the maple syrup without breaking her gaze. "What."

He shifted in his booth after wiping as much maple syrup off of him as possible and took out his flask and poured more whiskey into his coffee. "I haven't seen him since he was two. He's my firstborn."

She stared at him, another family? Before her?

"So you ditched your first family." She stated slowly, leaning back and feeling her usual sensation of disgust. She was...surprised but not shocked.

"When was the last time he saw you? Are they still in La Push?"

Joshua shrugged and took a long drag of his whiskey-spiked coffee. "I saw him at my Mama's funeral. That was first time I saw him since you were one."

"Have...does he know about your other kids?" Maggie quizzed, taking a sip of her coffee and jonesing for a drag. She tapped her tired, long fingers against the surface of the table booth.

Joshua didn't reply, he didn't like to talk about things. But she had been his daughter for twenty-one years. The sick part of their relationship was that she was probably his favorite. That's why he called her Bambi. He got a kick out of his oldest daughter. They used to be closer, when she was younger. Before she realized he was a selfish drunk. Which was why she was probably the only one who could get him to talk, to get things out of him.

"Joshua, seriously. I fucking dragged the kids across the country – if there's gonna be problems here I need to get it handled – like_ now_."

"He's got like four years on you...think." He finally said. "...He met you when you were 'round one when your Mama left that first time. But I'm sure he don't remember it."

She leaned back and felt a headache form in the back of her neck. She rubbed her neck muscle and shook her head. "...'Kay...what's the damage here?"

He shrugged like he didn't know what she was talking about but she wasn't having it.

"Joshua, I wasn't playing before. What the fuck is the damage here? I just dragged four kids from their goddamn home - and unlike you I actually take my responsibilities to the kids seriously and care about their feelings – so what the fuck is the damage I'm dealing with? Whose this Sam? Is he going to give us trouble? I haven't been 'round these parts long but I sure as hell can tell that it's small-fucking-town and in small-fucking-towns it's hard to get away from people who got it in for you and your kids!"

He wasn't a dumb man he was just a selfish man.

"I don't know. I don't even know where he lives just that he's in La Push."

"His mother? Do you have any other family in La Push that I should know about?"

"Got a brother and a sister but they've moved on from La Push." Joshua explained taking a bite of his breakfast. She dug into her breakfast as her stomach rolled with hunger but she didn't let up on him. "He didn't want anything to do with me at the funeral and what I figure he was the one carin' for Ma when she died. I think he was expecting the house that she left you."

"How did your Mom know about us if you haven't been home in years?"

He shrugged. "I always kept in touch with her." For a moment she saw a flicker of remorse and then he lifted his flask to his lips and drank it away. "I came by when she told me she was sick and showed her a picture of you and the kids to cheer her up."

Maggie wondered how much he told his Mom about them. About his..what he had done to them. Or hadn't done.

Joshua didn't elaborate. Instead he shrugged. "She must have had that lawyer of hers track ya down in Denver."

That lawyer was going to get a very intense phone call from her.

"So the wife?"

"She got remarried a year ago to some trucker down in Tacoma."

She sighed and shook her head. "Okay, what the fuck."

Joshua didn't elaborate anymore.

She stared him down.

He decided to eat his breakfast and jilt her with the check by saying he forgot his wallet.

Maggie had a million and one things to do and she could add figuring out a long lost older brother into the mix. She didn't know how she was going to handle this one. Kid siblings – hell yea. She had been changing diapers and raising kids since she was four. Someone her own age or older? That was out of her league. As she paid and followed him out of the diner she realized that she had more than a lot to do. Maggie and had put everything they had in this move. They'd be here until at least she had the money to get them somewhere else.

As they rode back in silence she turned to Joshua and asked. "Do I gotta worry about this Sam?"

He was silent for a moment before tapping the steering wheel and saying out of the blue. "H-how...how about you take the camper? My gift to you and the kids. Free and clear...that way you have it...just you know...to have it. I got some money comin' in and was thinking about getting one of the RV's and that old camper is too old to get a good price on anyway."  
She stared at him as her stomach sank.

They were in trouble if Joshua was giving them gifts.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi, _

_I want to thank you Princess Mishawaka and Maxsmomma for the reviews. :)_

_Normally I don't update this fast but my rule for myself was to have three chapters written down completely before I even posted. That way I knew I had a story I could continue to work on. :) _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing Twilight related. Nor do I present myself to be Stephenie Meyer. I am not gaining a dime off of this. :)_

**Chapter Two**

Everyone knew about Elder Clara Uley's house.

She was one of the most sweetest and beloved elders of their Tribe.

Her house was also one of the oldest and most well maintained houses in La Push. It had been her parents and their parents before them. Although it had originally started out as a small house it had been maintained and built upon with each generation.

Clara had been the oldest Uley alive on the reservation. Her sons and daughter had left years ago. Her only relative that cared for her continuously was her grandson – Sam Uley. He had been the one to bring her groceries, to make sure her appliances worked and her gutter was cleared. He was the one that ran to get her medication and arranged for nursing care staff to take care of her so she wouldn't have to leave her home, he was the one that fixed her roof and cleaned her gutters and kept her land in good condition. He was the one that took care of Elder Clara. Everyone figured that the house would go to him and his wife when Clara passed. He and his wife lived in a cabin that Clara had rented out to his wife before they were married so they could be close to the elderly woman. So she could stay at home and on their tribal land during her last years.

It came to everyone's surprise when Clara didn't leave the house to her grandson.

She gave them the cabin and the other land so they could add on and start a family together. It was highly and completely and incredibly shocking to all.

Of course, in La Push – everyone knew what Sam was. Or at least they thought they did. There were many theories out there. Mostly involving gang related activities and maybe even a cult. He was the one that started it but it looked like he was falling out of grace. It looked like he was being replaced by Jacob Black. Which was sad because everyone loved Billy Black.

The rumors was that she had left it to her wayward son in hopes that he would return home. It would be unfortuante if he did. No one could really truly blame Sam for being a cult-leading ass who cheated on his devoted girlfriend (she had the good sense to leave La Push and whatever it was that Sam and his group did) with her cousin. His behavior was because his Father had abandoned him mother and his mother had been forced to raise him on her own. That was a hard thing for any boy to live with. Joshua Uley had left over twenty years ago to be a boxer or wrestler or something like that. He had always liked to be in Forks at the little boxing gym on the corner next to the flower shop instead of with his family. They said that he took up with a blonde from the South and ran off with her.

Rumors and talk.

They were kind of a thing in La Push.

Which was why when Ms. Call drove past Elder Clara's former corner of the Rez looking for her son Embry who was sadly very connected to the Gang/Cult/The Group she almost ran off the road. She saw a moving trailer parked in the driveway. It was a long driveway and she could only see the tip because there was only so much you could see from the road. So, being the calm and rational woman that she was, she drove down the road and when she had the most appropriate chance she ducked into a driveway, backed out quickly, and squealed back down the road. This time she went past Clara's house at a very, very slow crawl.

It was gossip for the ladies at the church. And then some.

She went back and forth roughly four times.

The first time she saw two young people carrying a battered looking blue and white plaid couch into the house. It was obvious that they were planning on staying and not selling the house. Did they buy it? Who would buy Clara Uley's old house? They had to be enrolled members...who would have two kids like that?

The second time she saw the two young people moving boxes around with two other children and a baby. She couldn't get a good look at the kids before she had to move out of the line of sight.

The third time she saw a little African American girl chasing a baby running down the driveway. She had caught up to the baby and picked him up. Ms. Call had caught her gaze for a fraction a second before peeling down the road in case someone would accuse her of spying on the newcomers.

It had taken all but an hour for everyone on the reservation (of importance) to learn that the house had new incomers. Which led the great and important question of – who Clara Uley had left the house to and if they were the ones moving in.

No one that they knew was enrolled in the Tribe had a African American child. And mostly everyone came back to the reservation at least once a year (especially if they had kids). The Tribe wasn't racist or anything. It just would be obvious because the tribe was too small for the name, age, lineage, and possible additional ethnicity to NOT be in easy reach via various phone calls and gossip. And no one knew of a family that matched Ms. Call's description – not that they didn't try.

A call was made by the leader of the woman's talking circle to the secretary that helped handled enrollment requests. It wasn't very often but it was known for members to pop up and enroll. There had to be a strict lineage established. They wouldn't just enroll someone who found out by a story that their Grandma told on Christmas about a possible Quileute ancestor. There was paperwork, birth certificates – proof – and it was usually known. And it most certainly would have been known if a ENTIRE new family had been enrolled. By the look of it there were five kids! And no adult – she had seen a questionable young woman who wasn't a child but definitely too young to have mothered a teenager. The baby could be hers.

Oh the gossip flew.

The secretary quietly told those who called that there HAD been new enrollments but it had mostly been done through a lawyer. But which lawyer? She said all that she could share was that it was Elder Clara's lawyer who handled most law business of La Push and that she was told (and so was the Council) that it was Clara's wish that her estate be handled with the utmost privacy.

So...the new family had inherited the house. Which meant...could it be...

The phones – cell phones, landlines, skype calls – were all very busy that day.

The only place it didn't reach was the house of Sam Uley.

Instead it reached a young woman through her mother who had called her and asked her about it. After all – she was married to one of 'the Group's' biggest cronies. Kim Coho didn't know a thing about the who or the what or the anything about the new family in Clara's house. Even though her best friend was married to Clara's only relevant, active family member. Even though she was part of The Group (something her parents had learned to accept because even the most narrow-minded, gossipy of members of the Tribe could see that at least The Group men really, really adored and worshipped their women. Jared was absolutely no exception to that and actually was a pretty nice guy and Kim's family was the part of La Push that believed The Group was just harmless and maybe a little too fanatical about keeping the old ways but ultimantly harmless. Jared was the best thing that had ever happened to their daughter) Kim did not know a thing. She promised her mother that she would if she found something and then as soon as she hung up the phone she picked it back up and promptly called Emily Uley.

Emily Uley hadn't realized that there had been movement at Clara's house. Even though they were very close neighbors there had been noise, no movement to her knowledge. Sam watched over that end of the formely joint property. It was sad for them to talk about the house because it was not only a reminder of losing Clara but also the loss of the home they were going to build a family in. Even when Clara was alive there had been quiet suggestion from Clara that she move into the cabin and they into the house so that they could start a proper family. Emily wished that they had done that now. Not because she wanted the house but because she regreted not giving Clara what she wanted – a chance to see the next generation of Uley's. She had lived through so much disapointment in her time. Her son Joshua had turned into vagrant, her other children abandoned La Push for a more financially and socially satisfying life and rarely came home, and her husband had passed away years ago leaving her with one grandson to care for her. He did a good job at that. Clara had never told him that she had changed her mind and never told him that she was going to leave the house that had been all but his and Emily's for the taking for years to someone else. And they had never learned who.

It was a fear that his father had done something when he had returned.

In fact, Sam had wanted to track the bastard down and confront him. But confronting the man that had abandoned him and his mother, the man who never came back for his family or his mother or anything that Sam valued, would have ended with at least Sam in prison if not secrets that needed to kept secret being revealed. Jacob Black had not let him go, he had slammed him so hard with the force of his will that Sam had been shoved momentarily down to the level of the Pups. Jake had let up immediately but the decision had been made. Sam couldn't go find his father. He had to drop it. And move on. As sad and unfair and stupid as it all was...move on was all they had. It wasn't something that Sam or Emily was very good at. They were good together but not very good at moving on from things, not very good at not being able to fix things. But, eventually Sam began to clear behind their cabin to add onto the structure. Eventually they had moved on.

Emily quietly went out to the back of their structure, the back had a small path that was nearly hidden from view. It winded up through the forested area that seperated the house from the Cabin. It was a short five minute walk to the house but it was out of sight. Sam was there sitting on a stump that needed to be removed.

"Kim just called. The women are talking of people moving into Grandmother's house." She said quietly.

He nodded, looking up at her after a moment and pulling her down next to him. "I hear them."

Sometimes she forgot how he was.

Sometimes she pretended they were human and the imprinting had never happened and they had never hurt Leah and that they were just together and truly in love as humans and nothing magical or more. That everything was fixed. But that was how she was and that's how they were the same. They cared so deeply for the ones they loved and they had loved Leah and they had tried to fix what they had done while living with what they couldn't undo and couldn't live without. Pretending was the closest thing she had. But she didn't do it often. More often than not...Emily found herself forgetting.

"Do you know who they are?"

"I went over there, they didn't see me. A bunch of kids and Joshua." He stated in a gravelly flat voice.

"Are they...they his?"

He nodded without saying a word.

Emily put her hand over his and didn't say a word. They were a good couple that way. Silent, quiet.

"They're really loud." Sam said after a moment. He didn't share with his wife the language that they used. But it was pretty loud and raucous. Even the little ones. He had been surprised but not so very much surprised that it seemed that they all had different mothers. From a far he could sense, he could smell that they were of Uley blood. Except the baby. The baby wasn't Quileute. He had watched them move around, exploring the house, being loud, being noisy. It seemed wrong to have a house so full of love be so full of cussing children and harsh, loud movements. He didn't see Joshua. But when the wind shifted he caught the scent of his father and the harsh smell of whiskey. So he knew he was there. He counted four Uley's. And a young woman seemed to be Captain of their loud noisy ship.

When he saw the teenager...it shoved on him like a ton of bricks. A feeling he used to have when he was waiting for one of his brothers when he was the Alpha, the only Alpha. It was something that he knew. A old feeling that tugged from inside of his body, his instinct – that roused the wolf in the back of his mind – and created a ripple tide through the Pack.. A few minutes later Jake was texting him silently and asking him what the hell happened.

He couldn't explain it in text. So he watched and quietly called his Alpha and told him that there they were going to have a new brother. The Alpha had come over right away and observed what he had. He felt within moments of being close to the house a new presence. It was a pulling, a tugging.

"How long has he been in this area?" Jacob asked.

Sam shook his head. "I didn't even know they existed until today. I heard them this morning around noon."

"Does this mean he'll be strong?" Jacob asked, deferring to his experience. There were things left buried, things left in the past between them, but when it came down to it Jake had the power, the raw talent, the heart but he didn't have as much experience as Sam in some areas.

Sam nodded. "You were like that...but not so quickly. It built up but you were also younger."

"He looks around...sixteen or seventeen."

"Seventeen. The girl mentioned something about his age before."

Jake turned his head and stared at him silently. "How long have you been watching them?"

"A hour."

Jake rocked on his heels and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well..." It rolled off his tongue slowly as he tried to figure out what he could say to Sam. He settled with..."I'm here if you need anything. Don't kill your new brother."

"He's not my -" Sam bit out before stopping completely. He let the words die but they both knew what he was going to say. And they were both thinking the same thing.

If this was actually real, if what they were feeling is real and their wolves were telling them so, then this new guy was going to come in hard and fast. And he would be Sam's brother. And not just some "I think you're my brother but I'm not sure so let's just be Pack brothers and leave it at that" like it was between him and Embry. No, this was different. This was...this was Sam's brother. They could both smell it on the family.

Underneath the scent of the forest and the scent of cigarette smoke and alcohol and tiredness and family was Sam. At least part of him. The part of him that wasn't wolf, the part of them that they each had, the part of them that was made up of their flesh and blood – their human family. Their people. These kids, whoever the fuck they were, were of Sam's blood.

Which made Jake wonder quietly if Embry was really a Uley after all. Everyone knew what who he was like but no one said it out loud. They might have thought it but they weren't going to fuck with their brother's minds about it. And right now it was beside the fucking point.

Because a seventeen year old kid with a scar on his face and what looked to be a big fucking huge dangerous chip on his shoulder was coming in fast, coming in hard, coming into the Pack.

XXXXXXX

Maggie rolled out of bed on the third morning with a massive hangover and a cup of coffee stuck in her face.

Thank God for Sunshine.

She smiled blearily at her little and only sister and drank the coffee – black with sugar – and fumbled for clothes. She always slept nude if possible but it was cold so she wore underwear and a t-shirt. She found a bra and clasped it on, pulled on a pair of jeans, and exchanged her over sized t-shirt she stole from Cash for a black tank top and a black plaid button up shirt she didn't button but let hang off her thin shoulders as she moved around.

Sunny always wanted her sister to wear like more colors. But the only color she wore was black, grey, white (sometimes red and she really liked sparkly stuff on her jeans and on her shoes) but mostly black and grey. The only time she wore colors were for her special grown up work. Sunny was eight so she was old enough to know that her sister danced grown up dances for other grown ups and that some people didn't think it was right. But she knew that Maggie was the best person in the world even though she cussed and she danced grown up dances and could look very mean and loud to other people. But that's how she was and everyone was different and Maggie was one of the best people in the world.

"What time is it?"  
"Nine thirty. Cash is still asleep and Alby is watching Jacks." Sunny replied.

"Does he have him tied up again?"

"Not in a bad way?" Sunny replied helpfully.

Maggie pulled her hair on top of her head and shook her head. She grabbed her pack of cigarettes and a lighter and stuck them in the back part of jeans. Her feet found their way into a pair of black boots – the kind that clung to the leg and had spiky heels – and she clacked her way through the new/old house that was now hers. Maggie didn't walk – she clacked. She clicked or clacked, she strutted, she strode, she kicked, she ran, she stepped, she did not just walk.

And she clacked her way down the stairs and into the kitchen yelling for Alby. "How many times do I gotta tell you, Alby! Jacks isn't a fucking dog!" She found her youngest brothers sitting on their couch watching a movie on the family laptop. Jacks had a dog collar and a leash around his waist. She shook her head and unleashed her baby, baby brother. "What the fuck do I always say? He isn't a dog, Alby."

He shrugged without looking up from the screen. She peered over his shoulder and saw that he was watching a black and white horror movie. Something that was on Netflix or something. Maggie shook her head and kissed his forehead. He was always watching those old time movies. She was planning on getting him a video camera of some sort for Christmas. She had Cash keep an eye out for a good bargain on Ebay.

"Did you get breakfast?" She asked.

He nodded looking up at her. He had black curly hair and shared their father's warm skin. He was a little player though. She kept getting phone calls from the mothers of little girls from his class about his Romeo-ways back in Denver. Maggie had a sneaky suspicion that he was going to be doing a repeat act.

"Sunny fed Jacks." He shared.

She knew that this would only last for so long. Sleeping in, kids cooperating. School was starting soon and there were so many things to do. The Tribal School had accepted them and she had scheduled a tour for this afternoon and she wanted to get them established at the clinic and she needed to find daycare for Jackson and she needed to find a second job and she needed to unpack and she needed to get Cash to hook up the trailer and where was Joshua?

Sam Uley.

The thought echoed loudly through her and she sighed, rubbing her forehead and shaking her head. She picked up Jackson and slung him on her hip as she found her way to the kitchen to clean up the mess that they had made and not cleaned up and to fix herself some food.

The night before she had told Cash everything. He had wanted to track down Sam Uley himself and get things settled but she didn't want him involved yet. There was still alot of heat from leaving Denver and she wanted him where she could see him. There were things that they didn't tell the younger kids and there were things they didn't talk about.

What happened in Denver during their last few weeks...well...stayed in Denver. It wasn't anything that she hadn't done a few times so she wasn't mad. She just wished he hadn't felt the need to do it. They were past that shit...for the most part.

Maggie rinsed and put away the dishes they had unpacked.

They didn't bring much.

The house was almost too big for them. They were used to the space. Their house in Denver may have had the rooms but it was damn small. Everything was close together. Here...there was space. And it made the parts of their lives they brought with them seem small and rattly in the corners and spaces. Maggie kissed Jackson who was making grabs for her boobs and trying to say her name.

Ma-Ma-Ma

Magnolia was kind of hard to say but he almost had it.

She slid him down into a play pen area and rolled her eyes when she saw that Alby had posted a handmade 'Beware of Dog' sign on it. She let it be because she kind of thought it was funny – not that she'd let her little brother know that.

"When you're movie is done I want you to go and finish unpacking." She yelled at Alby. "We're going to the school at three to do a tour."  
Maggie started unpacking determined to get through the boxes. It wasn't like they had alot. Mostly furniture, the essentials, a lot of family photos, and a few pieces of art work. The kids had their toys which were in their room and Cash had shoved most of the extra shit in the attic that they had deemed unlivable. It was all falling in perfectly. Which made her feel like something was going to go terribly wrong. She figured if something was going to go wrong it was probably going to have something to do with their long lost half brother.

She called the lawyer and all that he could give her was that yes, Sam Uley was in La Push and he was her brother but no he couldn't betray client confidentiality. She told him to fuck off and hung up.

Maggie turned her attention to getting Cash up, fed, and unpacking the rest of his shit. Which was him dumping boxes upside and down and letting everything fall to the floor. But she'd get on him about that later. Instead she spent the rest of the morning trying to figure out what the fuck to wear to the school. It wasn't like this was her new school. But she and school never...meshed. The PTA back in Denver shunned her pretty much because they were petrified she'd recognize their husbands or something from her dancing. It was hard to hide her job from those nosy bitches. Not that she wanted to. She had no shame. It was just...the world hadn't caught up to her yet. Maybe it never would.

This new school would be very small in comparison and she knew the kids wouldn't fit in as much as they did back in Denver. She had to make a good impression. Except she didn't have 'good impression' type clothing. Skin tight jeans? Yes. Mini skirts so short and so tight that she had to kneel instead of bend over? Yes. Sexy underthings? Yes, in fact she refused to buy anything she couldn't pass off at the strip club in a pinch. (There had been a flu epidemic in their house and she had run off to the club without her bag and was forced to create an outfit from left over stuff in the lost and found. Never. Ever again. So she made sure she always wore something underneath...which meant she had nothing PTA approvable). She had fishnet stockings and boots and heels of every variety. She had a lepard printed mini skirt and several items made up of leather. She had a metalic gold halter tops and bedazzled daisy dukes.

The only thing that could pass for school-approved she had was her church clothes.

Because despite being a swearing, chain-smoking, drinking stripper mother of four of her siblings – she was a devout catholic...sort of. She always confessed her sins, said her prayers, went to mass, wore a crusifix, and crossed herself when things went south. Unfortunately since her sins were always forgiven and the entire church knew her profession – she felt no need to go all pure and modest in her attire when she went. She was always appropriate, of course. Magnolia always wore her best heels, kept her bra and undies tucked in where they didn't show, and made her nails, hair, and face were done.

Between yelling at the kids to get ready, feeding them lunch, and double checking their appointment still held she made up her face and curled her hair and pulled on her most dignified dress -a skintight black bodycon dress. It scooped pretty low so she tugged it up and taped her bra straps in place so they wouldn't slip down and show. Maggie pulled on gold hoops, a fresh pair of church heels (not strappy but were leather), and adjusted her cross and rosary around her neck.

"Get your asses in the van now!" She announced, banging on doors as she made her way down and out of the house. She pulled on her jacket, it was black and leather and it had been a gift from the first boy who made her cry, she kept it because she loved it. Not the boy. Never the boy. She buckled in Jackson into his seat and gave him a toy to play with before sliding into the front.

Her kids filed in slowly and got into the van. Cash wearing his own leather jacket and looking a little too cool for school. Alby climbed in wearing a transformer t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. She shot him a look. "Couldnt' put on something more dressy?"  
"I couldn't find anything." He shrugged.

She rolled her eyes and tapped her fingertips against the steering wheel. "Where's Sunshine?"

They looked at each other blankly.

"Did we lose Sunshine?" Maggie said, her voice pitching high.

Cash stepped out of the van and said. "Relax, relax. I got this."

Cash shook his head as he walked from the van. Maggie always got a little high strung when it came to school. She was pretty cool about everything but not about school. It made sense. His entire life he had watched his older sister struggle with not being able to read like everyone else, with not knowing as much as the world around her. He was the one that did the tax paperwork each year, he was the one that read the letters from teh school that were too long for her to read, he was the one that covered for her with that stuff. She wasn't dumb – not by a long shot. She got by so well because she had a brain that memorized like a fucking computer and had a full grasp on numbers and money. But when it came to other stuff – chapter books, newspapers, textbooks, history, the stuff that most people took for granted...wasn't really in her grasp. School...school wound her up. The few times he ever saw his sister cry was when she got the booklet for the GED, opened it up, and realized she couldn't understand a word the damn thing said. The best thing he could do for Maggie was be her back up. That's what he did.

Which meant he was trapsing around the new backyard yelling "SUNSHINE!?" at the top of his goddamn lungs.

He didn't want to be here. He didn't like the fucking rain, he didn't like fucking nature, and he sure as hell didn't like the feeling this place gave him. It rolled under his skin and he didn't like it. He didn't like it, he didn't like it, he didn't like it. Cash felt like something was coming for them and he didn't like that either.

He also didn't like the idea of his kid sister running around so close the creepy ass looking forest behind and surrounding their new home. He peered through and found a covered looking path. He started walking down it wondering if Sunny had found it too. She would get a kick out of something like this. Cash yelled for her again.

She hadn't been in the house.

They were going to be late.

Magnolia was gonna bust.

Sunshine appeared running up from the path. She wore a yellow sundress and her coat and she was smiling big. "I found people!"

"People? Back there?" He asked, picking her up with relief and hoisting her into his arms. She was eight but he could still carry her around. Cash walked them back through the path and shook his head. "Who'd want to live back there?"

"His name is Sam. He's-kind-of-like-you-but-that's-probably-because- he's-Quileute-and-so-are-we. And-he's-got-a-wife-named-Emily-and-she's-super-pr etty-'cept-she-had-really-bad-scars-on-her-face-an d-he-was-making-a-chair-and-they-don't-have-any-ki ds-but-I've-decided-that-they'll-be-my-friends-and -they-live-in-a-really-cute-cottage-and-she-gave-a -muffin!" She said in a fast, excited voice. The thing about Sunshine was that she was terribly excited about things but she said it in such a...fuck he didn't know...a gentle way? She was all soft and sweet. The kid wanted to be a nun. A freaking nun. Which he fully supported so he wouldn't have to beat the shit out of punks in the future, but still – _a nun_.

He got her inside the van and climbed back in next to his older siste.r Maggie tapped the steering wheel and waited a moment before declaring. "If you all fuck this up I'm kicking all your asses."  
They knew she wouldn't actually kick their asses. She only reserved that for Joshua and various related people who decided that they didn't like them.

XXXXXXXX

Sue Clearwater waited in the front of the Quileute Tribal School. She was catching up on a book that she was reading with her daughter. Leah was miles away and never came back but she had gained her daughter back. She had her daughter back even though she never came home and Sue and her son Seth had to go to Seattle when they wanted to see her. But Sue had Leah back. Which meant skype calls and a new book each month. This month they were reading a book Leah had chosen. The Bell Jar. It was...wasn't what Sue would prefer to read but she had chosen last month. She had chosen Sense and Sensibility. Leah wasn't exactly a Jane Austen type of girl – she had never been, if Sue really thought on it. It would be easy to blame it all on the wolf, the Pack, the trauma imprinting (or the lack of) that had scarred her daughter. But, her daughter was a creature unto herself.

Sue was glad Leah was able to find herself again.

The mother of two, the widow of one, the future wife of Fork's Sheriff sat and read her book waiting to give a tour of the tribal school to a new family. She was a calm woman, a woman who had seen too much in this world– but...but...this was something she had struggled with. Sue usually knew how to handle things. But this wasn't something she was quite prepared for. Ultmately she respected the wishes of a elder and decided it was none of her business.

The new family was Joshua Uley's other children. Or more importantly – Elder Clara's grandchildren. Sue didn't know the details she just knew that a few months ago Clara's lawyer had approached the council with applications for enrollment. Tribal Enrollment was a official, important affair but it was unusual that a lawyer filed and sorted through the paperwork. Usually a meeting with the people trying to enroll had to take place. But it was hardly appropriate to expect a family of five – all but one children – to travel from Denver, Colorado to La Push for one meeting. Everything they needed was there. Lineage, birth certificates, etc. It was Mr. Tom Donald, Attorney at Law, that had insisted that Clara wished this to be kept private. And what did they know? Did they really want to upset Sam Uley with news of his father having another family? He had already been through enough and if this family didn't intend on staying...then...who were they to go against an deceased elder's wishes. Clara loved Sam more than anything. She had also gone to grave loving her son Joshua.

Now she was waiting for Joshua's children to come to the school and tour. She had talked to the oldest and it seemed to her, although she was unsure, that the oldest was taking care of the rest of them. If she wasn't completely busy being enthralled by the depressing tale her daughter had picked out for their monthly mother-daughter skype book club she would have been wondering what kind of children they were. The school was so very small. Less than a hundred and fifty enrolled and attended. The younger classes were fuller which meant – they hoped – that the classes would increase in the next ten years. It was surprising that these children were being enrolled in the Tribal School and not enrolling in Forks. Their transcripts were from a private charter school where they had many varied interests.

She might not be wondering about them but she had read their transcripts. And their files.

The words...varied, colorful came to mind when she thought of their files.

Especially the oldest. A young man named Cash. Skipping, fighting, notes from teachers – but solid grades.

Sue did wonder about him.

Wondered if he was like his brother Sam. Wondered if her children were to have another Pack brother. Wondered if perhaps maybe Joshua Uley's youngest children should have stayed where they were and Clara had left her house to her oldest grandson like she had originally planned.

But she didn't wonder long because a old sturdy looking van came rolling up into the parking lot. Music pounded through the system that she could hear even through the school doors. Sue put her book down and walked out to greet them with a smile but her eyes caught almost every detail. She was a Mom, it was her thing.

The van was parked and several bodies piled out. She tilted her head as she realized that at least one or two had different mothers. They were Joshua Uley's children alright. The boy looked like Sam. But when he was with Leah and before he disapeared and before he imprinted on Emily. Except...Sam never walked like that. And he certainly didn't dress that way. The boy walked like he wasn't a boy. Something told her that he wasn't a boy. And that he hadn't been for a very long time.

The other children looked like every other child. A sweet looking girl in a sundress, who clung to her older brother's arm, and peered shyly at the school building. A young boy who looked remarkably like Sam – down to the curly hair that Sam used to have before he cut it.

But what most caught her attention was a thin young woman in a tight black dress and heels that made Sue's feet hurt just by looking at them. She was clearly in charge. Waving them about, hauling a toddler out of the van and hoisting him expertly on her hip, and nervously tugging at cross neclace that hung around her thin neck. She wasn't just thin – like 'she's so pretty' thin. She was over-worked thin and even though she wore make up and wore her body well and wasn't close to Sue the mother of two could see tired shadows underneath her eyes. She looked like she worked every singe day of her life and then some.

They were clean and put together but they looked rough to wear. The boys wore clean dark shirts and had chains and a cross around their necks. The little girl wore a clean but worn sundress and a puffy, worn jacket that hung off her like it had been bought two sizes big. Her older sister's dress looked a size too small and she wore a good deal of leather and gold. She walked like she relied on how she looked and knew she could use it.

"Hello, you must be the Uley's." Sue smiled as they came close enough for her to speak.

"Guilty as charged." The young woman said, her voice a natural husk and almost touched with a southern accent. "My name is Magnolia, these are my brothers and sister."

The oldest young man nodded at her and stated in a rough, blunt voice. "Cash."

"Cash?" She queried, a little startled.

"Name. Cash." He replied.

Sue smothered a smile. Oh no. Not at all like Sam. Her heart wondered if she should call the former Alpha and tell him. She wondered if he already knew and had already met them.

"Alby. I'll got a twenty here for ya if you make sure no teacher or staff or grown up ever says my full name ever." The curly haired boy said up front. He shoved his hand in his pocket and waved a folded up twenty dollar bill that looked like it had been carefully saved for such an occasion. She would never dream of taking his money but she understood after reading his unusually...special name...why he was offering it to her.

"How about I ensure that your full name is never spoken by a teacher or staff at the school as a welcome to La Push present? On the house?"

He considered this for a moment before shoving the bill in his pocket and sticking out his hand for her to shake. "It's a deal, lady."

"It's Sue Clearwater."

"It's a deal, Sue Clearwater."

They shook on it like men and he nodded at his older sister like he was giving a signal of approval.

The little girl ducked her head against the expressionless brother's face and he nudged her quietly. She looked up at her and said in a quiet, polite voice. "My name is Sunshine and it is very nice to meet you, Sue Clearwater."

Whoever named the little girl named her aptly so. She had a gentle, sincere manner about her that reminded Sue of Seth when he was a boy. Of course his was over come with the energy of a growing boy and eventually the wolf but the heart was the same. Always the same.

"And this one?" She smiled at a little boy.

"He's Jackson. He's mine and Cash's little brother by our Mama."

"But they share him with us." Sunshine was quick to add.

Sue didn't ask about their mothers. There was little to be had about mothers or Joshua in their file. She didn't see him with them so she could only assume that her first theory was right. They were on their own and Magnolia was taking care of them. She didn't look old enough to be taking care of four kids on her own. She wasn't registering in classes so she had to be over eighteen and the way she dressed...it seemed like she was older. Like her brother it looked like she hadn't been a girl for a very long time.

Sue showed them inside and she smothered another smile as the thin woman herded them in with fluttering hands and brisk, briskly clicking heels. Sue hadn't started with the tour, had hardly spoken to them, and she knew that without a doubt...La Push was in for a infusion of something. She wasn't sure what yet, but it was of something.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey, _

_It's Chapter Three! Yay!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Not Stephenie Meyer._

_Keep the lovely reviews Mishawaka and Maxsmomma. I totally appreciate the thoughtful feedback. :)_

**Chapter Three**

Three Sheets was a good bar.

The bar in Denver was a good one but it was mostly losers who tipped terribly. It had smelled faintly of vomit and piss even though she personally oversaw the entire bar scrubbed down once a week. She was proactive that way. The last thing Maggie was going to do was bring home something to the kids from some skeevy, germ-covered drunk. Maggie found that Mabel had the same inclination. The bar was clean, had regulars, and after a couple of weeks she found the tips to be pretty steady. It wasn't magical-everything-is-better-now tip money but it was steady and that sure as hell counted for something when you had four kids to feed and clothe.

She liked it.

Mabel kept out of her way and let her set up a play pin for Jackson in the back office away from the booze and the smoke. Mabel herself either camped herself out at the bar reading her magazines and watching her stories or kept to herself upstairs in her apartment. The regulars were rough and blue-collared sort of men. Most of them worked at the lumberyards or were fishermen. She learned it was the fishermen that she had to watch out for. They came back from the boat and found a new, young bartender at their normal watering hole. She had to watch out for her ass and fielded off cheep ass pick up lines and aggressively suggestive comments and proposals. But other than that...it was a good bar.

Maggie pulled back her styled and curled hair in a band on top of her head and started pouring a couple of shots of whiskey for the two men at the end of the bar. She wore her favorite heeled boots and a tight black rolling stones t-shirt that showed off her belly ring and a tattoo of a magnolia flower on her torso. Just because Mabel dressed in plaid shirts and ripped jeans and the same cowboy boots over and over again didn't mean she had to. She sure as hell didn't mind giving the boys something pretty to look at over their drinks. And she sure as definitely didn't mind the extra tips it got her.

"Here you go boys." She said sliding the shots over to the boys.

"Thanks, Maggie." A grizzlied lumberyard man slid a bill over. "Keep the change."  
"Can do." She winked at them and went to the register.

It was late on a Thursday evening and her shift was getting to be over. She'd be home by seven and if the crockpot didn't crap out on her they'd be having her special chicken noodle soup. It was the first week of school and she was pulling out all the stops for her kids. Including homemade chicken noodle soup.

The house was all put together, Joshua had disapeared early on and left them the trailer like he promised, and she had had no word on where her long lost brother was. She was keeping it from the kids. But now she was wondering if that was a bad idea, what if he had like kids? The tribal school was like super small. Alby had nine other kids in his class. Just ten. Cash said there was about ten total students in his grade. And most of them didn't attend regularily. She told him if he made trouble by skipping she'd skin his ass and make him live in the trailer for the rest of the school year – without food priveledges. Sunny said there were eleven in her class and she was definitely the only black kid in the entire school (not surprising) but also maybe even the first and only black member of the entire tribe. But as far as she knew no one was giving Sunny a hard time over it. And Alby came home the first day and said that his teacher had taken him aside and solemnly vowed to never speak his full name ever. In fact she changed his official name on his file to 'Alby Uley' so that none of the other kids would accidently read it or something. The kids were doing alright but she was still nervous for them.

Not that she'd show that here at the bar.

That's what she missed about dancing and working all the time. She loved the kids but when she was working she got a break. Well...sort of.

The sound of Jacks making noise in the office crackled through the baby moniter.

The two workers at the end of the bar chuckled. "You know I come here to get rid of that shit."

Maggie quickly turned it off and wiped her hands off with a bar towel. "We good here?" She asked the bar quickly. Several drinks were lifted up in acquiense and she and her boots and her Rolling Stones t-shirt shifted back into the office. It was right beside the stairs that led up to the apartment and across from the storeroom. She hadn't been up to the apartment she assumed it was the same size as the bar itself. The office was tiny and overcrowded with paperwork and extra booze cases. But the crib was sturdy and Jackson didn't seem to unhappy. Sometimes she took him out and put up a playpen so he could toddle around and stretch his legs. He joined her on her breaks out back and she would never tell Alby this but she had taken the dog collar and the leash and used it so she could sit down and take a load off while he got to stretch his little legs and she didn't have to chase him down. The little fucker was turning into a runner.

Jackson was sitting pretty in the crib banging his legos and declaring "Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma!"

She pulled him up and kissed his forehead for a moment. "How you doin' little guy? You thirsty?" He didn't say anything but she knew he was. He had that look. So she rifled around in the office mini fridge and pulled out the sippy cup she kept in there. "Here you go, Jackie-boy."

"Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma." He stated happily, taking the sippy cup with both hands and sucking loudly.

"I'm almost done, baby boy. We're going home and having homemade chicken noodle soup." She told him as she let him back down in his crib and checked to make sure everything was ship-shape.

"I want some chicken noodle soup." Mabel stated from behind her. "You're spoilin' those kids of yours, you know that?"

"It's their first week of school. I want it to be good." She replied defensively.

Mabel arched a red brow and chuckled. "You served them ice cream for breakfast on their first day, let them stay up all night watching scary movies last night, and you've been working you ass off to give them their favorite homemade foods all week when you've been here working almost all day everyday."

It was true. Mabel had to fire one of her regular bartenders because he kept disapearing on the job. A guy from La Push she never met named Paul. Normally she wouldn't have volunteered for all of the extra hours especially the evening ones but she hadn't lined up anything except this job. A week and a half ago she had hooked up the webcam and set herself a 'work space' (one side of her room where the camera faced) and she learned that the internet speed in La Push was terrible. She lost half her client base that she had worked her ass off (what was left of it) the past six months to build. Maggie missed dancing at the club, she missed taking time out of her life and being 'Bambi'. The webcam was just a money fix like dancing had started out as but she eventually enjoyed dancing. It had been fun, creative, and she didn't have to be herself – she got to be someone else. With cam work her name was 'Bambi' but it was all sorts of different. She didn't know what they liked, she couldn't read their expressions, or corner the client that looked like he was ready for some VIP time. It was just...dancing and teasing in front of a web camera. Unpersonal or whatever the word was.

She hadn't been in La Push a month and she was realizing that her most consistent form of income was coming from the bar. So she volunteered to pick up the extra work. Since the clientele appreciated her female body versus that of the formerly flaky, grouchy bartender Mabel was more than happy to give her the extra time. Since she didn't have to worry about daycare for Jackson, the kids were adjusting fine, and there was no rent to pay Maggie figured that it was all going to work out just fine. It'd be tight but they'd managed. They always did.

Magnolia finished up her evening shift and took herself and Jackson back home. It was a fifteen minute drive and after the first week she had stopped getting lost. Sort of.

As she pulled up in the dirt entrance of their home and parked she saw the light of the television glaring through the front porch window. Maggie parked and hopped out, got Jackson out of his seat, and walked into her house. She still couldn't get over it. Her house. All hers. No one was going to take it away from her.

Alby and Sunshine was sitting in front of the television watching one of Alby's old black and white movies. She figured that they had homework they still had to do. She shut the door loudly behind her and set Jackson down. "You didn't eat without me, did you?"

They twisted around and shook their heads.

"Maggie!"

"Hey Mags!"

"Hey yourself, munsters." She retorted, dropping her coat and purse off by the door and making her way to the kitchen to check on the crock pot.  
It smelled good.

"We waited for you 'cept for Cash. He was super super hungry when he got home."

"He's been getting hungrier and hungrier since we got here. It's got to be all this fresh air we've been breathing." She commented drily. Cash had been hungry. And he had been sleeping. She had seen it before. With the younger kids. He was probably growing or something. Maggie picked up a spoon and lifted up the crockpot lid. And then she started yelling.

The crockpot should have been brimming with chicken noodle soup goodness. It should have been all the way done and she should have been getting out the bowls and the bread and butter to serve it all up. But no. Over half the damn pot was empty.

"CASH FUCKING ULEY!" She slammed the lid down and shot up the stairs and into his room. He was laying face down on the top bed of the bunkset he shared with Alby. "You ate our dinner!"

He didn't stir.

So she climbed up the side of the bunks and shook him awake. His shirt was off and his skin felt warm to the touch. And not in the normal sleeping sort of way. She shook him harder. "Cash, baby, wake up."

He stirred and shifted to look up at her. His eyes blinked open blearily. Maggie wasn't pissed off anymore she just felt concerned. She felt his forehead and shook her head. "You ate over half the pot and now you're feeling a little too warm. How do you feel?"

Cash stiffened and shook her off. "I'm fine."

His voice was gravely and lower than usual like it got when he was angry.

She raised her brow and stepped higher on the bunk until she was looking down at him. "Don't talk like that to me, mister. I raised your ass. Now tell me how your feeling? Do you have a headache? Do you feel sick to your stomach – you should, you know, you ate almost the entire pot of chicken noodle soup I had ready for supper. Have you been sleeping since you got home? Don't you -"

"-Magnolia! God, fuck off. I'm fine. I'm just sleeping and I got hungry." He growled out. He fucking growled. At her!

"Don't growl at me!" She replied in a hurt voice. She flicked his arm for good measure. "I'm practically your Mama."

He was angrily quiet for a moment before taking a deep breath. He let it out and she could almost see him release the anger and the old Cash come back. He didn't get angry he was just too damn smart for that shit. She was the one that always got in trouble with her anger. Always going off about something. Cash was quieter, maybe a little more dangerous that way, but he didn't shoot off like she did when he got hurt or angry. Cash shrugged and ran his hand through his curly caramel locks.

Cash didn't mean to shoot off as his sister. He also didn't realize he had eaten almost the entire pot of chicken noodle soup until he did. He was hungry all the fucking time. He felt like something was crawling underneath his skin and it frustrated him. God...he was so fucking frusterated. All the fucking time. But Maggie didn't deserve his anger and he shouldn't have eaten the soup meant for the kids and he just...really fucking hated this place. But he couldn't, wouldn't tell her that.

Instead he sighed and said. "I'm just tired and hungry all the time."

Maggie leaned down and brushed her lips against his heated forehead. "Well, I can't bring you up any soup but how about I make some cheesy ramen?"

It was his favorite. They practically grew up on ramen. And since he was a little kid she had been making his favorite for him. Ramen with a crap load of cheese on it. She thought it was gross but it was his favorite and so she made it for him.

He nodded. "Sure."

She studied him for a moment and then tilted her head. "I'll make an appointment with the clinic but I think you're just growing. All this fresh air and good food is doing you good. Mark my words – I'll be looking for the goodwill store to replace your old clothes in a couple of weeks."  
Cash didn't argue with her. But in his heart, in the back of his mind, he felt like something was coming for him. He felt it like a wave when they crossed the border of La Push the first day. But he didn't say it. That's what he did. That was one of the many things he did to take care of his own. And the other ways involved getting a job which was something he hadn't been able to find.

"I can't find a job." He stated lowly, staring up at the ceiling.

She was quiet for a moment. "It's okay. We'll be okay. Just stick with cheap ramen when your hungry, okay?"

He looked at her for a moment.

She looked back.

They were quiet.

"I...um...can't...yea. I need a job." Cash shook his head. He hadn't sat on his ass and lived off his sister since he was a kid. And he wouldn't start now.

"Have you had any luck with the trailer?"

"I hooked it up and shit but I don't know what we're going to do with it."

"I do." Maggie said, bringing up a idea in the back of her head. It was an idea that she didn't like but she knew that he needed to do something or else he'd go crazy. And they needed the extra cash especially with his new eating habits. "How much do you say that would go for like for rent?"

He rolled over on his stomach and looked at her. "Uh...not much?"

"Well, how about you get it fixed up to rent. All on you – in fact – consider the trailer your property."

"My property? It's not even technically yours. He never signed it over to you."

"Well figure it out. That's why I'm giving it to you. You can handle all that paperwork shit." Maggie retorted messing his hair up. "It's not like I'm going to figure out how to hook that bitch up and keep it up...is there a way that you can figure out how much it'll add to the utilities?"

He thought it over for a moment. "I get it all figured out I bet we can charge sixty bucks a week. That's how much the residential hotels used to charge Joshua. Trailer's basically the same thing."

"Not much but it'll all work out."

"Drop it down to fifty and we can make them pay their share of the water and electric bill." He mused. "It won't be much...a couple a hundred tops each month."

"But it'll be better than what you've got coming in now." Maggie added. She jumped lightly off the bunk and stepped over his dirty laundry. "I can offer up the laundry machine for a small fee. Milk the bitches for all their worth." She winked.

"That's my girl." He chuckled, "Always figuring a way to get the money."

"Hell yes." Maggie called back as she made her way down to the kitchen.

As she worked in her very own kitchen she looked out the window for a moment. It was a little alarming to see all the dark trees looming out there. She had talked to the nice lady who had showed them the school and asked if there was dangerous animals in the woods and if she should be doing things to keep the kids safe. But Sue Clearwater said that the woods around her house were especially safe and to just make sure the kids didn't wander too far. Sunshine especially had taken to playing out in the back. Maggie had a sneaking suspicion that she was making her own little hide out or something. She was into that sort of thing.

Maggie didn't feel what her little brother upstairs was feeling. She wasn't feeling the weight and the pull coming from the back. From all around them. She didn't feel like something was coming for their family. She just dished up the rest of the soup and made cheesy ramen. She just cleaned up and sat down with the kids around the table and talked about what they learned that day in school. Then she made them do their homework quickly before she sent them upstairs to wash the day off and get ready for bed.

She didn't see the wolves out there, padding quietly outside of their home, listening to their lives. She didn't see them or feel them. They were out there, eavesdropping and monitering and patrolling and waiting for their newest brother.

And she had been so damn busy. So busy with the job and moving and getting the kids into school and finding a decent grocery store and setting up her webcam site and all the little things and the big things combined that she didn't realize...she didn't realize that another brother of hers was so very close. That he was watching and guarding them. He was waiting for their brother – their flesh and blood brother – to join the wolves. He was silently watching and waiting and guarding.

Magnolia sure as hell didn't see them or feel them or even in the wildest parts of her imagination believe that they could even exist. She had been operating on full drive since she got in La Push and none of that drive was focused on anything outside of what was right in front of her. The kids, job, house.

Right in front of her.

Clear as fucking day.

XXXXXX

Cash leaned back in his chair and studied the hot teacher's ass.

Her hair was a fake blonde and it reminded him another blonde that he really fucking missed. She had been calling. And he had been the jerk he was and not answered. He didn't want to hear how she missed him or hear her talk sexy or tell him that she moved on with that douschebag from down the street or any of the possibilities. So he ignored her texts and he ignored her calls. And he dealt with the anger and missing in his heart by enjoying small but adequate buffet of girls in the small Tribal school his sister had dumped him in.

He'd have to start going to Fork parties to expand his choices but so far he had had a good time.

And he had even more fun fucking with the idiots trying to his pals.

It wasn't like they didn't seem like a nice crew to have around - it was the ink that they were sporting on their arms. Identical to each other and to a few other big, steroid-looking guys that walked around shirtless and like they owned the damn rez. Cash wasn't going to get involved with that until he got his feet on the ground here. Maybe, maybe it'd be useful later on. But it wasn't like Denver where he could hang back and play the game when he needed it. They seemed to be the only one of their kind in La Push so he had to use his head.

Collin, the doofier of the two, leaned forward from his seat and poked the back of his neck with a pencil.

Brady hissed at him to cut it out.

Collin kept poking him until he begrudgingly leaned forward to get away from the poking pencil.

When the bottle-blonde teacher with the nice ass – he forgot her name – told them they could go outside for a break he bolted up from his desk, shrugging on his leather jacket. He winked at the teacher but that was it. He stalked out of the school and found the spot he had found his first day. It was the side of the school away from the road and away from windows. It faced a forest.

He grinned to himself and wished he had sweet-talked that sweet little Andy girl into coming back here but he had taken her older sister back here last week and she was pissed at him. She'd cool off...eventually. They always did.

Cash took out a smoke and lit it.

"So this is where the magic happens!" A voice teased.

He didn't look in their direction. Instead he flicked his lighter, on and off, the flame flickering out every few seconds only to come back.

"Oh come on, man – what's your deal?" Collin leaned against the wall. He was taller and larger than Cash by almost a foot. His silent sidekick shifted a couple of steps away from them, observing the conversation. Between the two of them Cash figured he'd could be friends with Brady. He seemed more grounded that Collin. But the two of them were sporting ink that he didn't want to get involved with.

"I ain't got a problem – _man._" He shrugged trying not to engage.

"We're just tryin' to be your friends here. It's a small school, small place – it's good to make friends, bro." Collin pressed.

"I'm not your bro," Cash shifted on his feet and shook his head. "And I don't need help makin' friends. What you wanna hold hands? Start a book club? I got enough shit on my plate without some losers stalkin' me. Do yourselves a favor and go get laid."

He stalked away from them and Collin moved to follow him but Brady stopped him.

"Let him go, man. He's not ready."

"Does he have to be such a dick?"

"It's probably not him. You know how it was before we changed. We made our Mama's cry three times a day."

Collin shuffled his feet and bumped his pack brother's shoulder. "Yea, you're right."

They walked side by side, step in step with each other, into the courtyard, watching their future pack-mate.

"I feel bad though. We know all this shit and I don't think he knows a thing."

"About the Pack?"

"About Sam. Hell, about Embry."

"Yea, that's kind of lame." Brady agreed. But there was nothing that they could do. They were the pups, the bottom ranking of the Pack. Sam used to be their fucking Alpha. That shit meant they gave him the respect he had earned. They all loved Jake – he was the Alpha – but even Jake respected the history Sam had with the Pack. So how Sam wanted to handle this was Sam's business. They're jobs were to follow orders and try to bring Cash into the fold before he popped into a giant wolf and found out the ancient tribal legends he hadn't even had a chacne to learn yet were true.

XXXXXX

Saturday morning came and Sunny pulled on her coat and her boots and grabbed the walkie-talkie from the kitchen counter. That was the new rule. She could go and play out back but only if she took the walkie-talkie and didn't go far. Sunny never went far. She always went to the same place but kept it a secret.

She didn't really mean to keep it a secret...well...she sort of did.

She just..she just really liked to keep Mr. Sam and Miss Emily all to herself.

Sunshine loved all of her brothers and sister but it was nice to have friends all to herself.

Mr. Sam was always making something with wood and nails and stuff and Miss Emily was always baking giant (like super giant!) muffins and breads and pies.

Mr. Sam didn't like speak alot. He did alot of grunting and he was quiet almost all the time. And he looked at her alot when he thought she wasn't looking. But not in a creepy, bad-man sort of way. In the way that her brother or sister looked when they were dealing with grown up stuff. She knew what was troubling him though.

He was a shy person.

And that's why he needed a friend. And Sunshine was good at being a friend.

She pulled a hat over her curls. "I'M GOING OUT BACCCKKKK!"

"TAKE THE WALKIE TALKIE!" Maggie yelled from the laundry room. She thought for a moment about asking Sunny about where she was going but decided to let the little girl have her little secret world. She never came back hurt and nothing ever happened so there was no need to worry.

Sunny took off from the back door and jumped off the back deck. Cash was tinkering with the trailer getting it ready to rent out.

"You going out back again?"

"Mmhm." Cash was the only one who knew she was visiting their neighbors. She asked him to keep it a secret so Alby didn't find out and go with her. She'd be okay with taking Jackson someday since he was a baby but Alby would just be totally annoying. He'd eat all the muffins and take up all of Mr. Sam's time and she wouldn't have any fun anymore. Cash had agreed and even shook on it. But made her promise to tell him if anything happened.

Sunshine walked through the now-familiar path connecting her to Mr. Sam and Miss Emily's place. Miss Emily baked so much stuff that she sold some of her muffins and cookies at the store. Mr. Sam made stuff with wood and sold it to people. The forest she had to walk to get to their little cottage is always quiet and nice. She wanted to explore but the first time she met Mr. Sam he told her to always stay on the path so she did.

Sometimes – alot of times – they had friends over. Mostly shirtless guys. Sunny personally was grossed out that they always had their shirts off.

They were boys.

Miss Emily let them like...sit on her nice furniture and let them hug her and stuff. Sunny tried to be a nice person and polite like her Nana always told her to be so she never said anything. But still – she thought it was like super gross and wanted to tell Miss Emily about the danger of boy cooties on more than one occasion.

Mr. Sam, her best friend in all of La Push, was working on something in the back of their cottage like he normally was. Sunshine quietly and softly crept over to him and before she could say anything he said with his back facing her. "Hello."

She grinned.

It was like super cool that he could do that.

"I was like super quiet! How do you do that?!" She queried – like she always did. Sam grunted a non-word-type of sound and she sat on his porch step and watched him for a few quiet moments.

And then she started talking.

She talked about school and the friends she was making and the nice teachers. She talked about how stupid Alby was sometimes. How Maggie wanted to put extensions in her hair. She talked about her Nana and Grandpops in Louisiana and how they called her twice a week on Sundays and on Wednesdays. She missed them alot. She talked about her saxaphone practice and the book that her teacher was reading to the class. She talked about Cash and how grumpy he was and how she wished he'd stop eating all of her Lucky Charms. And how Maggie took her to the bar last week and she got to play cards with two stinky-fish smelling guys who let her win. And then she talked some more and then some more.

Mr. Sam just kept working and grunted every once in a while. Sometimes he made a comment. Like how she shouldn't say the word stupid and how she should stay away from men at the bar when she had to go there.

Miss Emily appeared through the screen door with a smile. Sunny had at first been a little scared of her scars and wanted to ask her about it. But that would have been rude and Miss Emily was so very sweet that the scars didn't seem scary anymore. . "Hello, Sunny. I thought we'd see you this morning. Do you want a muffin? The boys saved you some."

The boys.

Why did boys have to be everywhere?

But Sunny smiled and left her Mr. Sam for a little while. Inside the group of shirtless boys grinned at her. There was Collin who was funny and Brady who reminded her of Cash because he looked rough but was super nice (for a gross shirtless boy) and there was Paul who was kind of grumpy and then there was Seth who was her favorite. He said his Mom showed her the school and she sort of didn't think he was gross but she never said anything.

He had a nice smile.

"Hello." She greeted politely, sliding into her seat. Miss Emily promised her that no gross boys would sit in her seat. She bit into a muffin and thanked Miss Emily when she gave her a glass of orange juice to wash it down.

"So what you been up to?" Collin asked, waggy his eyebrow.

"Nothing." She shrugged.

She didn't like to talk to boys.

"Aww, come on. Dish us a scoop of what's going on in the third grade." Seth coaxed, leaning forward and stealing a bite of her muffin.

"Um...um..." She bit her lower lip as her face flushed pink. For a moment she froze and then she impulsively grabbed her muffin and made a run for it back outside. Sunny heard the boys laughing at her and Miss Emily telling them to knock it off as she slammed the screen door shut.

Feeling embarrassed she shuffled down to the stump that was near where Mr. Sam worked. It was by a open shed with lots of machines and stuff. She was careful never to get too close like he asked but her stump was close enough that he could still hear her. And it was far, far away from the stupid shirtless boys inside with Miss Emily.

Mr. Sam stayed quiet for a moment before he asked. "You okay?"

"Boys are stupid."

"Don't say stupid." Mr. Sam answered, like he always, always did.

She liked that about him. He was sort of predictable.

"But they are -...that way." She stumbled, trying to find another way of saying that boys are stupid but finding none. "They're just so...soo...UPIDSTAY!"

"Is that stupid in pig latin?"

She nodded.

"That still counts as stupid."

"But what if it is the only way to describe boys?" She lamented.

Mr. Sam thought on that for a moment. He put down his tools and walked into the house coming out a minute later with a big red book. He handed it to her. Sunshine took it and read the cover slowly.

"The-Thesaurus." She looked up at him. "Is this a dinosaur book?"

"No, it's a book about words." He sat down next to her and opened it. He silently flipped through the pages until he got to the one he wanted. His hands were humongous. And at first she couldn't read the word he was pointing at but he moved his giant finger and she read it out loud.

"Stupid – Not intell-intelligent; irresponsible. Sy-Synonims – Brainless, d-deficient, dense, d-doltish..." She read the entire list of words slowly. He helped her with a couple. They were all words that meant the same thing as stupid.

"So I can say all those words except stupid?" She asked.

Mr. Sam nodded once.

"Mr. Sam. I don't mean to be rude but that's kind...kind of..." She looked down at the word list and picked one. "That's kind of...in-in-con-gruous."

"Well, that's how it is." He said in a final-sounding voice. She ducked her head and was quiet for a moment. Mr. Sam must have felt bad for how he said it because he asked a few minutes later if she wanted to help him. He had never asked her to help him before.

She smiled and nodded and he gave her very large gloves that swallowed her fingers and a hardhat that kept falling over her eyes.

"Mr. Sam?" She said as the yellow hat fell over her eyes. "I think this hat is incongruous."

"It's not." He replied.

"But I can't see!"

He solved it her problem by giving her another hat to wear over her head underneath the yellow hat. It was puffy and he rolled it up over her forehead so it would keep the hardhat from shifting. She handed him things like screwdrivers and hammers and nails and he let her help him saw a board but she was pretty sure he did most of the work. A few times Maggie crackled in through the walkie and asked where the fuck she was. Mr. Sam didn't seem to like hearing her language but she wasn't hear for him to show her his book so he didn't say anything.

"I'm in the back." She answered, carefully clicking the talk button so Magnolia could hear her.

"Well, don't get eaten by a fucking bear." Maggie retorted, her voice cracking through the waves of the walkie talkie. "Did you get something to eat?"

"I'm fine!" Sunny replied.

Maggie was quiet for a moment. "Come back before dark."  
"Over and out!"

"I mean it Sunshine. Back before dark I'm not breaking my heels going into there to find you."

Sunny grinned even though Magnolia couldn't see her grinning and said. "I promise."

"Good girl, over and out."

She carefully put the walkie-talkie down at her stump and went back to work. Mr. Sam was careful to make sure that they were done before dark and made sure to have Miss Emily bring them out some lunch. They made the best food ever. And no gross boys came out bothered them all day.

When Sunny went home she hugged her friends goodbye and promised to come back after Mass the day. Mr. Sam grunted and Miss Emily smiled a pretty smile that Sunshine thought was even prettier because of her scars. But she didn't say it because she didn't want to be rude or make Miss Emily sad. So she hugged them again and made her way through her secret, quiet forest path back to the loud, brown house.

Mr. Sam followed her but she didn't know. She never knew because he was way more cool than she could imagine.

Sam had been surprised the first day that the little girl had appeared with big, wide eyes through the path that he had walked hundreds upon hundreds of times. He was pretty sure that she was keeping them a secret from her brothers and sister and even more concerned that they seemed to let her just wander off whenever she wanted. She later appeared with a walkie-talkie but he never liked what he heard on the other end. Always cussing, sometimes yelling, and he didn't like it.

But he liked the kid.

The kid was alright.

She was also persistent and had somehow decided that she could come by whenever she wanted. And like clockwork she came after school, on the weekends, so often that he got worried when she didn't come by for a day. He didn't like that this Maggie person took her to a bar, he didn't like that she seemed too comfortable with bad words, that she always smelled like cigarette smoke, that she never talked about her Mom or Joshua.

He knew that he had to say something soon. And not just because it was the right thing to do. But because he wasn't just letting her come by to secretly get to know his younger sister but because of the danger that lived in her house. The ticking bomb, the wolf coming to join the Pack, and she didn't know. And he knew it was up to him to bridge that gap. To reach out to the brown house and get to know his brother before he phased and found out for himself.

His Alpha didn't like what he was doing.

He had ordered Collin and Brady to befriend Cash, to pull him in a little. But the soon-to-be-new wolf was resistent. He was aloof and spent his most of his time stealing girls away from Brady and Collin than being their friend. He had no interest in them. He was focused. They could smell it on him. They could also feel his strength and it disturbed the pups a little. They were used to being the pups, to slowing growing in size and strength and dominance. They weren't used to a wolf coming into the Pack that smelled like dominance.

What did Jake say?

Coming in hard, coming in fast.

And Sam didn't like fast. He liked slow and steady and consistent. He liked to work things out. Like he was working things out now. Finding out how he wanted to approach this situation, learning how to deal with it before he started dealing. But as the Alpha reminded him – their lives were fast and hard in it's very nature. It was time to make the move. If he didn't then he'd regret it and it'd make it all the more worse for the Pack when Cash did change.

He had also quietly said that the Council was approaching the oldest – the sister who was in charge – about some of the old legends, so that if it did happen in front of her she'd have something to deal with. The ideal way of handling it would be to get him away from the kids, get him away from the house so he could shift with out there being fear of hurting one of the kids or the young woman. Sam knew that there was no way that could happen. The Council – mainly Billy Black and Old Quil were fearful of exposure. They were just fearful of the kids safety. Emily had murmured quietly about it. And he knew that the time was coming sooner than he liked. He'd have to tell Sunshine his last name and go to the brown house that looked and felt less and less like his Grandmother's house each day and cross that bridge.

But not tonight.

Tonight he followed his little sister through the path and made sure she got home alright.

He didn't need to.

They had a wolf following Cash wherever he went. And one was sitting on their haunches away from the clearing of the brown house but close enough that he didn't have trouble monitering what was going inside the house. Sam found his way to Embry and nodded at his brother. For a moment he wondered...he almost said something. Something like...how about that DNA test? But they had gone years without talking about it. And maybe it's because of Embry's heart for his Pack and the fearful question that their assumption that Joshua is his Father is untrue. That he's someone else's very married, very committed father. Maybe that's why he never pushed it. Embry was always sacrificing things for the Pack. His Mom thought he was a criminal or a cult follower and wouldn't let him stay in her basement anymore. Instead he slept on Jake's couch or Jared's couch or Paul's couch or anyone's couch. Sam remained silent though, he like normally did, and stood sentry next to his pack brother.

The brown house is quiet except for some tv program that he thought was too innapropriate for a little boy to be watching, the sound of Magnolia talking on the phone to her boss, and Sunshine making her way and saying hello to her various brothers and sister. He listened carefull as she made her way to her room and put away her stuff, including the large red book he gave her of words, before she went back downstairs and ate her supper around a very loud dinner table.

Cash looked out the window as he did the dishes. He stared straight at them and it was almost as if he could see them. They stared back but they knew that he couldn't see them. That he just felt them.

"Soon." He murmured underneath his breath. "Soon."

Embry just raised his head and panted in agreement before padding off as another wolf came by to take the next shift.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you Mishawaka, Maxsmomma, and Savannah's Angels for the reviews. Seriously, such thoughtful and motivational reviews. Keep me writing! And...also my girls November and Whisper -real friends review friends fanfics! LOL. ;)_

_Disclaimer – I do not own anything. Nada. Zilch. _

_Also, on my profile I linked images for some of the characters – Maggie, Cash, Alby, and Sunny._

_(Okay, I read this after I posted it and was shocked with all of the random typos. So I edited and sort of starting adding! lol)_

**Chapter Four**

The Pack had twice-weekly meetings. It was most likely the most time they spent phased together at the same time. With the Cullen's keeping to themselves and not a red-eyed cold one in their presence for over a year...peace had settled in La Push. The news of the new incoming pack-member and the scandal of Joshua Uley's surprise children showing up in La Push was about as exciting as it got. Well, wait...Collin tried to eat a squirrel last week. That was about it.

They had kept their meetings at the same place from when Sam was the Alpha. It was behind Sam and Emily's cottage but far enough away that there would be no chance of being seen by humans. So in the dark of the night (which was a little cheesy but worked for them since it was the best time for all of them to meet) they gathered. Howling to the moon, finding each other underneath the cloudy moon in their familiar forest. The younger ones yipped and tackled each other as they busted into the clearing. The older wolves just shook their heads and settled down to wait for The Alpha.

He always came last. Mostly because he liked to get his thoughts in order. It was usual Pack stuff – patrolling, reports, talk. Jake took the weight of being Alpha seriously. Yet, the meetings were more about being Pack all together than the patrols or the schedules or reporting. It was a chance to be together. Brothers. Pack. United.

Each of them had a wolf inside of them. The wolf was with them all the time. In the back of their minds, it was their instinct and so much more. That's what was growing inside of Cash. A wolf that was meant for him, the wolf that would be with him until he died. When they all shifted together – the men, the wolves – they were able to be one. That was more useful to have in their arsenal than a perfect patrol schedules. It meant the bonds that kept them together tightened. The love for Pack, the love for each other, the love of family and imprints. It was like greasing a well oiled machine.

Because someday they might be all phased together, their minds and their wolves clashing with each other and at the same time working and weaving into each other, as they fought their enemies. As they protected Tribe, Pack, and Imprints.

The howl of the Alpha silenced them, thundered over them, as their leader shifted and joined them. A hush fell over them as the weight of the Alpha put their Pack to rights. Each piece falling right where it was supposed to be. They all had pull with each other. Even the imprints to a degree. Jake, the Alpha, had the most. What Sam had to make happen – Jake did without thinking. They were all threads making up a larger, stronger tapestry. The Alpha was the strongest, most constant thread. Embry and Jared were second because they were chosen Betas. They were just degrees stronger than the experienced wolves. Paul, Quil, Sam, Embry. The pups, who had earned their own ire the past three years, were fluctuating up towards their older brothers.

The she-wolf wasn't there.

She hadn't been back for three years but her presence tugged at them from the distance. They still felt like a part of them was missing. Why she didn't stop phasing was something that they didn't understand. To have the wolf but not have the Pack?

Pack was everything.

Only coming second to Imprints.

The wolves settled down as the Alpha loped in among them. He nudged them good naturedly and took his place in front of them. Their minds worked together, talking to each other, feeling Pack around them. Safety and security. Strength and instinct. Pack.

Through their united presence they could feel the tug of various imprints through their wolves. Kim was content, Emily was cleaning her kitchen - they could almost feel her rhythmic ritual movement of cleaning, Claire was fast asleep and safe with her parents up north.

Alpha wanted to know if the schedule was sent out.

The Betas lifted their snouts in a yes. It was sent out.

Alpha wanted to know how The Cash Situation was working out. He turned his attention to Collin and Brady who were busy snuffing the ground with their noses and looking busy. Their minds turned to the previous week and their attempts to befriend the aloof incoming member. So far they had accomplished him telling them to go get laid eight times, him walking away every single time, and him looking brooding and dangerous and unreadable as he played with his lighter.

_The dude is too cool for school._ Collin wasn't sure he'd make a good Pack member. _And kind of a man-whore._

Brady quietly disagreed. But he stuck close to his brother out of loyalty and agreed that he was too cool for school or whatever Collin was thinking. _And yea, the dude was a player_.

The older wolves rumbled together, wondering what to do. It was dangerous. Dangerous to have an almost phasing wolf in a house full of kids. A house full of people who didn't even know the legends, had no idea what was coming. Especially the kids.

_About the man-whoreness? Because they could just make him get fixed for that shit. _Collin added helpfully. _Seriously, Jake, my Alpha-dude. Just order him to keep it in his pants. You'd be doing us a favor. He's screwing all the eligible fine females!_

The Alpha would do no such thing. Collin needed to learn to deal with a little friendly competition. It wasn't his fault he had trouble with his game.

Some of the wolves snickered. But the seriousness of the issue facing them echoed from The Alpha. This was serious, no laughing matter. He hadn't gone to see the new wolf's family yet because he was waiting...The Council was waiting too...

Eyes turned to Sam who remained silent although his thoughts were filled with dark-eyed little girls and loud houses and things he didn't like to hear coming out of his Grandma Clara's house. The fact was, the bare truth was – he didn't want them here. _He wished that they had stayed away. He didn't care about the house as much as he cared that they had invaded and plundered everything. Just smashed their way into his life. He didn't give a shit about Joshua and he didn't give a shit about his kids -_

_But he did. _Seth prompted him. He thought of a little girl who kept finding her way to the brother she didn't know was her brother. _That had to count for something right? She was a cute kid. It wasn't her fault, man_.

Sam was protective of her. Didn't like how she smelled of cigarettes and faintly of beer.

Brady's thoughts turned to his home. Cigarettes, booze...other things. The kid seemed happy to him. No need for Sam to worry.

**_The focus needs to be on Cash. He was already showing signs when he moved in the first day. Soon he's going to grow, his temper is going to grow, and if we don't act now then things could and will get very ugly. Sam. It's time. _**The Alpha thought over all of them. His intent overpowering their thoughts and his will curling around their toes. The Alpha didn't mean to be so harsh. So he pulled back a notch and added in a softer but strong tone. _Sam, we're here for you but it's going to be worse if shit goes down and you didn't come forward. What's he going to think when he finds out you've been hanging out with the kid knowing the entire time that you're their brother? **What kind of shit is that going to put on the Pack?** He's got enough coming at him and no matter what you want and what you think...this shit is going down. And that's not going to change. **We're here for you, brother, whatever you need.** Just get it done. _

The Pack at a whole chorused their support for their oldest brother. They were here for him. Here for Emily. Here for their new brother.

_Even if he stole all the chicks. _

Seth would fucking teach Collin his own personal game with the ladies if he'd just stop complaining about the new guy's skills.

_What game?_ Paul snorted.

Chuckles rolled into the night as Seth tackled Paul. They growled and roughhoused each other. Paul overcame Seth for a moment before Seth flipped him over and pushed him into the ground. The other wolf was not down for the count. He twisted and tossed Seth off of him and growled but with humor in his mind. The other wolves yipped at them during their brief tumble but quieted when Seth's tongue lolled out and he nudged Paul's side in forgiveness.

The Pack was quiet for a moment.

Embry was tired. He had worked all day at the lumberyard.

Jared was fucking tired too.

They were all tired.

_Tired._

The Alpha was Jake too and Jake fixed cars and took care of his Dad and took care of the Pack. He worked at auto shop twice a week and fixed up cars and sold them out of his shed. Jake was tired too.

_Quil's on Cash duty. _Embry reminded his brother, trying to wrap up their meeting and finish all of their loose ends.

_Stop by in the morning and we'll feed you, brother._ Jared brushed up against Quil and nipped at his ear. Quil's Dad had given him a job and he owed the Ateara's big time. Meaning Quil got fed.

The Alpha figured they should all go home and get some sleep.

So the Pack loped off in the direction of their home. Some shifting right away. Some staying wolf until they absolutely had to shift. The Alpha stayed behind and shifted. So did Sam.

Sam pulled on his cut offs and waited for Jake to do the same.

Jake looked at his pack-mate for a moment, trying to figure out how to tell him to get his act together without disrespecting him. "Man...you and I both know this is going to end badly if you don't go and at least talk to them. You owe them that."

Sam knew it. Sam just...wasn't ready for it yet. "I know, Jacob. And I will."

"When?" Jacob pressed.

"Soon."

Jake shook his head. "That's not good enough brother, I'm sorry. But I was talking to my Dad and the others on the Council and they're getting antsy. Those kids don't come from here, they didn't even know that they were Quileute until the oldest got the house. They have no attachment to us or the Tribe. If Cash goes wolf and we don't reach out to them – everything could be ruined." Jake clapped a hand on Sam's shoulder and tried to ignore the pained expression on the other man's face. "So when are you going to reach out to them?"

"I'll stop by during the evening...on Tuesday. I think Magnolia will be home on Tuesday." Sam relented, feeling the weight of what he was going to do settle down on his shoulders.

"Then I'll let my Dad know to have the Council reach out after that. Sue's already familiar with them from her work on the school board. She'll probably be the one. If it goes well, we want to get them out to a bonfire. Just tell them the basic stories. What everyone knows. And then we'll work on getting Cash inside the circle so he's not even more fucked up when he phases."

That was the plan.

Sam knew it was a good plan. Probably the best plan that they could get in the circumstances. But he still wasn't ready.

XXXXXXX

Magnolia rolled up in their van with music blaring. It matched the music rolling at a slightly quieter volume from the house. She smirked. Cash had the whiskey out.

She parked, grabbed her purse, and carefully got Jackson out of his seat. Her feet hurt. Her ass was still sore from the asshole who decided it was a good idea to pinch it. She had been smart enough to get permission from Mabel to 'take care' of anyone who went to far. She dumped a glass of beer over his head and shooed him out with the threat of a baseball bat to his knee caps. Her temper endeared her to the regular patrons. They thought it was cute or something. She had scored fifty extra bucks in tips.

Maggie walked up the porch but as she turned to pick up a toy that Alby left out she saw two large figures standing in her yard. She hadn't seen them when she came in. And she hadn't known they were there. She quietly slipped her keys into her hands and slipped a key between her clenched fingers, so that it indiscreetly jutted out– just in case. Maggie shifted Jackson on her hip. He seemed completely undisturbed by the fact there were strangers just like standing in the yard. Maggie turned and faced them.

They were large – like massive. They wore t-shirts and jeans even though it had rained all day and she was personally chilled. Their hair was cropped, and their arms were made up of large round muscles. One was shorter than the other but both had to had to clear over...at least six foot six. If not taller. She had never seen them before but they seemed familiar somehow. Like she should know them. Maggie warily studied them, waiting for them to address her. Maggie was never known for her patience.

"Who the hell are you?" She demanded, stepping one step down from the porch but not all the way. She put a hand on her free hip and looked at them challenging. They looked at her for a moment and she didn't let up. "Well, who the fuck are you and what are you doin' on my property?!"

They seemed to snap out of it.

The shorter one – although still massive and a giant – stepped forward. A grin lit up his face and she felt herself be put at short ease. Smiles could be good. Or not.

But his dark eyes seemed harmless as he stepped forward, shoving his hands in his pockets, and saying in a deep voice. "I'm sorry to disturb you, ma'am. My name is Collin and this is my bud Brady and we came by to see if Cash wanted to hang. Some of us are going...um...we're going to the diner."

Diner her ass. Magnolia nodded and held Jackson tighter to her. As he spoke it was like years shaved off of his image. He was just tall and incredibly well-toned for his age. Cash was pretty fit and even he didn't look like that. Magnolia set her gaze on the other one. He didn't seem like he liked to talk much.

"You like to talk there, kid?" She questioned abruptly.

He stepped forward and rubbed the back of his neck looking a little sheepish. "Yea, sorry. Uh, I'm Brady and it's what Collin here said. We wanted to see if Cash could hang."

"Ask him yourself." She shrugged. Her feet hurt, her ass had been molested, Jackson was getting heavier by the minute, she was developing a headache, and on top of that she was hungry and hadn't a fucking clue what she was making for supper. Maggie turned and left the giant teenagers standing in her lawn staring at her as she disappeared into the brown house.

"Uh...should we follow her?" Collin gulped. When he first looked at the woman he had felt frozen to the spot. It wasn't that she was super hot. Well, she was...she wore these boots that clung to her thin, long looking legs except she wasn't that tall. And she was a little way too thin to his taste. Make-up couldn't hide that she was tired - he could smell it on her along with cigarettes and booze and...was that baby soap? That probably came from the kid in her arms. But she was alarming because when she looked at them in the eyes it was almost like looking at...Sam. At least for him. He wasn't sure what Brady was thinking. Even though she was considerably lighter than Sam and her eyes were definitely lighter. Hers were grey and his black. In that moment he saw her looking at him with that challenge, with that sort of dominating force that said "I'm in charge here" but at the same time it was guarded and challenging to the eyes. Maybe he was thinking too hard. But reminded him of before when Sam was his Alpha and he was just growing into his wolf.

Brady was a little too busy checking out Magnolia's skinny figure walking away to comment on Collin's deep thoughts of reflection regarding the woman's eyes and the resemblance they had with her long lost brother she had no idea lived practically in her back yard (let alone existed). He had heard the ladies talk about the new 'Mom' in town. He had seen her from a distance a couple of times. She – like her brother Cash – seemed to not care one bit what people thought of her or if she made friends here in La Push. He liked his girls skinny. And she definitely fit the bill...

"Dude?" Collin jabbed him with his elbow.

"Uh, yea. She said to ask him ourselves and I'm pretty sure the jackass is inside." Brady replied, snapping out of it.

They stared at the house.

They were badass mother fucking werewolves. They came from a long line of ancient mystical warriors with a mission to protect their tribe and their land from their mystical evil (and sparkly) arch-enemies They were not intimidated by a James Dean wanna-be and a scrawny-ass bartender.

Nope. Not at all.

The fact was that they had Alpha orders. Jake never slammed an order down but his requests, what he wanted, was a weight on their shoulder. And they hadn't made it happen yet - _they had not made their Alpha's request and wish happen yet_. They were tasked with befriending the new kid and that's what they were going to do. They weren't asked much from their Alpha. But they were asked this.

So they were going to do it.

Brady trailed behind Collin as they walked through the ajar front door. The house was bigger than it looked or maybe it was the lack of furniture. Their homes were stuffed full of things and so had every other home they lived in. This house...it had the essentials and there were toys and some art on the walls but it was pretty bare. A kid with curly black hair laid on a couch watching an old silent movie. He didn't look up or acknowledge them. The little kid that had been in the woman's arms was now running around banging a cup against everything he could reach. He looked pretty happy doing that. Brady tilted his head and listened to the house. The music was coming from upstairs. He could hear another person – Cash most likely – in a room.

Collin grinned at the kid banging the cup and looked around to see if the other kid – the one named Sunflower or Sunshine or whatever – was around. He grimaced internally when he realized that she might recognize them from Sam's and like...

Goddammit.

Collin wished Cash would just phase already so all the secrets (except you know – the big secret) could come out already. He didn't see the point in all of this 'going slow' stuff. But Sam outranked him by a lot and he just had to befriend the damn kid. That was his job and he was going to do it. The plan was to get him drunk...it was something they hadn't tried yet.

The sister, who hadn't officially given her name, was in the kitchen fixing supper. It was later - seven thirty - but they had been watching them for a while now and they knew that they were night owls. The baby went down at eight thirty, the little ones went down at nine thirty, and the other two stayed up to whenever. They knew that Cash and his sister usually ended the day by drinking and smoking on the porch. She got up every morning and had a morning smoke and a coffee by herself before getting them up. Cash usually cracked his window or stumbled onto the porch to have his own morning smoke. She started breakfast and the noise started. Slamming doors, frantic dressing, showers, yelling for food, yelling to clean up, yelling for the bus. To be honest, Collin thought they were fucking cool. A bunch of kids living on their own without anyone to tell them what to do except a sister. Dude, that chick let her brother have his own stash of booze and cigarettes. Despite the fact he was sort of scared of her - she was fucking cool in his book.

Magnolia rolled her eyes at the sight of the idiots standing in the middle of her living room. They looked tough and possibly dangerous but after a moment of observing them she realized that they were just kids. Not unlike Cash. But a little less with the street knowledge. No smart person would have stared at her like that in her yard back in Denver unless they were planning on something or... Maggie narrowed her eyes as she discreetly caught a glance of ink on their arms. On the same arm, in the same place, were the same tattoos. Identical. She knew a gang signal when she saw one. Her brother was making friends alright. Magnolia had busied herself with making macaroni and cheese and she quickly set the stove to low.

"I'll go see where he is." She said walking past them before going up the stairs.

Magnolia found Cash in his bedroom staring at the ceiling, drinking out of a bottle of Jack, and listening to The Black Keys. This was a sign of girl troubles. But she had way more important fish to fry.

Magnolia grabbed the bottle of Jack and smacked him upside the head with her palm. "Why are there gang-members in my living room? What did you DO?!"

Downstairs two shape-shifting werewolves who might or might not have been listening in on their conversation exchanged confused looks at each other. Collin looked around to look for the gang members in her living room. Brady stared at him.

"Dude, they think that we're like in a gang!" Collin hissed so low to Brady that only he could hear him.

"No shit, dipshit."

Upstairs Cash was explaining to his sister who looked two seconds away from taking off one of her shoes and attacking him with it how he did not know that they were coming over and he had done everything in his power to put them off.

"So you're pissing off the local thugs now?"

Cash looked incredulously at her. "Did you talk to them? Those two are not thugs."

"Well then what is with the ink? And if they're not then why were you putting them off? You should be out there makin' friends. Doin' shit." Maggie poked his arm.

"So you're mad if they're thugs, madder if I'm pissing them off, and then madder if I don't hang with them if they're not thugs?" Cash clarified flatly.

"Exactly!" She put her hands on her hips and nodded with her lips pressed. "Get your ass down and play nice with the locals."

"Do I have to?" He groaned, flopping back down on his bed. He didn't really give a shit about them and at this point sure, why not hang out with them but he really wasn't in the mood. His skin felt like it was crawling and he kept getting calls from Shontelle and it made him miss her and think of things that made him want her, want her all the time and in every way. Cash felt like he was going to snap in a unbreakable way. Snap and never come out of it. And bills coming due and he hated not being able to contribute and he didn't like this place but it made Maggie and the kids happy and he wasn't going to cop out on them and goddamnit he felt like something was growling inside of him.

And he really, really didn't need fucking Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumber around.

Maggie narrowed her eyes and stared at him for a moment. Then she took off her shoe and start whacking him with it. "Get down there now! If they're members of a tribal gang or whatever – then it won't hurt to get in on their 'friends' side.. Maybe they got lead on a job or something. Remember Denver?"

"I remember that it's questionable if we go back to Denver." He muttered.

"They said we were good." She hissed back. "I gave that one guy a lap dance, remember?"  
They had no idea that their entire conversation had an audience. If they had then Magnolia would have been whacking her shoe in a whole other direction. But the two loyal siblings didn't know and their audience were too busy to exchanging bewildered glances and avoiding a toddler who decided that he wanted to bang his cup against their legs. In Jackson's defense – they were pretty much giants and he probably thought they were trees. The other kid on the couch just plain ignored them. He was busy watching the movie and what looked like homework. They shifted awkwardly wondering if their brothers were outsides observing and laughing at them.

They probably were. At least the one on Cash-patrol. Seth thought they were fucking hilarious.

Cash was whacked by a black heeled shoe all the way down the stairs. Maggie calmly put her shoe back on after unintentionally showing off her ability to walk with one heel on and one heel off down a flight of stairs. She smiled serenely at the two wolves. "He's ready to go. You boys want to take a case of beer or something?"

"Uh, yea...sure!" Collin grinned. Totally fucking cool.

Cash practically growled and stalked off to the fridge where he grabbed a case of beer. He begrudgingly kissed Maggie's cheek and told her to not wait up for him and thanks for the beer. She asked if he needed any money. Cash shook his head stiffly. She kissed his cheek back and sent him on his way.

He didn't look to happy but he'd get over it. He was probably just grumpy because he was out of his element, Maggie figured. Between the growth spurt coming on and not being able to find a job and the whole moving to another State thing he had gone through a lot the past month and a half.

She watched them leave and then went back to the kitchen.

It took her a moment to realize the house was too quiet.

Maggie frowned and looked at the counter. The walkie-talkie was missing. She grabbed the remaining one and spoke into it. "It is too fucking late to be out. It's goddamn dark outside!"

A few moments later Sunny answered. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll be right there!"

"Be careful! Haven't you watched Alby's movies? It's no good to be out in the forest after dark!" Maggie yelped into the phone, her chest constricting at the idea of Sunshine outside after dark in the forest. With all the things that wake up after dark and crawl and growl and possibly bite! She pressed her forehead to the counter and stifled a scream. She slammed her way through the kitchen because if she didn't slam her way through the evening she would probably end up on the floor staring at the ceiling like a zombie. She...fuck it. This was what she hated about working so late. She came home so tired and with all this stuff to do and she didn't even think about doing a headcount. Who did that?

Her apparently.

And it made her feel shitty.

She blinked back tears even though she had no idea why they came. She was frustrated, she had a hard day, but she had far, far worse days. This was a walk in the park in comparison to some of her bad days. Maggie took a deep breath and shook it off as best she could.

"Are you okay, Maggie?"

Maggie turned to see Alby looking at her with concern.

"I'm fine, baby. Just a rough day that's all." She kissed his forehead and rubbed his head. "How was yours?"

He studied her with dark eyes that knew too much and made her feel like wrapping her arms around him and never letting him go. But, then he smiled. A mischievous grin with a twinkle in his eye. The kind that only their side of the family got. "I've got two kids paying me to do their homework."

"How much?"

"Ten bucks per essay. Mr. Foster assigns one every other week."

"That's adds up to about forty bucks a month, right? Nice work, little man!" She congratulated, rubbing his curly head and grinning despite how crappy she was feeling inside.

"I think I'm going to expand my client base to the younger grades. I think I could pull it off and I'm working on a rate system per grade." He looked pleased with himself and shoved his hands in his pockets.

She smirked at him. "You are your brother's brother, you know that?"

He grinned back like she had given him the best compliment ever.

Maggie knew that she should probably give him some lecture about not cheating and doing the right thing. But she had payed a few kids off to do her homework so she wouldn't get teachers suspecting and reporting about her and them. She had no room to argue with it. The only she expected from her kids was to be smart about their stuff.

"Be smart about it. Don't get caught because I'm not hauling your ass to Forks each day for school if they kick you out. And I'm not smart enough to home-school you, either."

"All of it's got to be type written so I won't have to worry about handwriting. I told them I'm alternating between a C and B's each week." He nodded, explaining his plan to his older sister. "Maybe an A at the end for an extra five bucks. What do you think?"

She stirred the pot of macaroni and cheese and winked. "Make sure they read the essays so they can talk about it in class. That one always got me in trouble."

"I will."

Sunny came flying in from the backdoor with frantic apologies. Maggie was definitely going to talk to her about her behavior. Staying out after dark in the forest was not only against the rules but it was definitely not smart. But, her head hurt and she was hungry and tired.

"Go wash up for supper and set the table. I'm tired and my feet hurt so we'll be talking about this in the morning before school. I hope it was worth it because I'm waking you up right after my coffee, lady."

Sunny didn't look to happy about that (It was a full fifteen minutes earlier than she usually got up). But she didn't say anything. She fed the kids and listened to about their day. Sunny didn't know of anyone in her grade who wanted to buy homework but she'd keep and ear out. Maggie told them to keep it on the down-low.

Later on in the evening as she tucked them in she listened to the quiet around them. Out of the darkness surrounded the house came the sounds of howling. It sent crawls up her spine.

"I hear wolves howl." Alby said, looking at the window from his bunk.

"Me too." She replied. It disturbed her a little...to be so close to the wild beasts outside. Magnolia had been assured that she and the kids were safe. And since a little old lady lived here before she did she figured that was true. "I bet they're howling because they're happy. And happy wolves – they don't bite."

Alby thought on that for a moment before adding. "In the movies wolves are usually portrayed as a danger or a threat."

"What about Wolverine?" She questioned, thinking of the comic book movies he liked so much.

Alby shook his head. He couldn't blame her for not knowing her comic books. Magnolia was sort of busy being Magnolia. "He's technically a mutant and wolverine's aren't really wolves. They're like a cousin or something."

"Ohh. Gotcha." She smirked and kissed his forehead. She pulled up his covers and made sure that he was tucked in right even though he was probably too old for that.

The kid almost asked his sister to tell him a story like she used to tell when he was younger. He missed them. But he was almost a man and he had to let her get her rest. He knew that she wouldn't like it but he was dealing homework assignments to help out. He figured he could ride his bike to the market and get some groceries each week if she wouldn't take the cash. And if she tried to take the receipt so she could pay him back or return – he'd eat it! (Alby saw that in a movie once and it looked cool). Cash would be eighteen soon and he might decide to leave or something. He probably wouldn't go far but it'd make Alby the man of the house. And he had to get his practice on.. If it meant eating paper then he was down with that.

Maggie turned off the lights and left the door open a crack. She double checked the other two kids and when she found them cozy and sleepy she did a tired little mini-dance in the hallway. The day was fucking done. Done, done, done. Kids were in bed, she had the house to herself.

Which meant she was putting a night load of laundry in, raiding her secret wine stash, and turning on Netflix for a romantic movie. She was thinking...one where the nice girl gets the nice guy. She always liked those. She wasn't a very nice girl and she never got the nice guys. That was okay. But it was her little secret that sometimes she watched a nice guy/nice girl movie or saw a sweet couple holding hands and pretended that was her life. Just a little secret. Every girl had one or two, Maggie figured.

She settled down with a glass of wine and picked her movie.

When Cash stumbled in later that night he found her curled up on the couch asleep. He hadn't had a terrible night – mostly because there was booze involved – but he was still a little pissed at her for making him go. That was until he saw her curled up looking like she was dead to the world. The brooding teenager shook his head and ran his hand through his hair before going over quietly and covering her up with a blanket. He tucked her head under a pillow so her neck wouldn't cramp (she was a bitch when she got a headache) and turned off all of the lights except one. Then he stumbled upstairs because he was sort of completely plastered.

He wasn't confident but he was pretty sure he and those idiots howled at the moon.

XXXXXX

Sam had a quieter evening.

He finished his work and went inside for supper. Emily had made roast beef, carrots, and potatoes and they invited Sunshine to eat with them. Emily made sure that no 'gross shirtless boys' were around. Sunny seemed to appreciate that. But after dinner when Sunny was helping Emily wash the dishes and he was working on a carving the walkie talkie Sunny kept on her at all times crackled angrily.

The next thing he knew she was bolting out the door yelling she was sorry but she had to go. He and Emily stared at her retreating form for a moment. Sam jumped to attention and followed Sunny back to make sure she got in alright. Emily waited for him to come home with something on her mind. His imprint gave him a look that he knew meant he was getting a talking to. And he did.

"Sam you have to go talk to them." Emily started after she made them sit on their couch. She scooted closer and ran her hand through his hair lightly. He took a deep breath as the calm of being close to her settled over him. He liked his quiet life. He needed it. He needed her.

"I am, I told Jake that I was talking to them tomorrow night."

She nodded but still continued to talk. What she had to say had been pressing in her heart for a while now. Emily just wanted to make sure she said it in the right way at the right time. "They're just kids, Sam. And their feelings will be hurt if they find out before you do. You know how this place is – we knew the day that they moved in. How is Sunny going to feel when she finds out that her 'Mister Sam' is her brother and knew all this time?"  
Sam didn't want to hurt Sunshine. It wasn't her fault that she was just a kid who liked to hang out with her neighbors instead of living in her crazy house. But he also wasn't sure if he ready for all...of that. He didn't want to let Joshua into his life and he know what on earth he could do for those kids and if they were his brothers and sisters or not. Sunny, it was easy to imagine her as a little sister, because she was so...Sunny.

He pressed his nose into his imprint's hair and pulled her flush to his body. He promised to her "I know, I'll take care of it."

"I can go with you." She offered with a gentle smile. "It's not like it's a far walk."

"I'd like that." He smiled tenderly at her. He ran his thumb over her scars and pulled her into kiss them softly.

Emily knew that he wasn't putting it off because he didn't care or that he wouldn't care in the future. It was because he had had too many things happen out of his control. Things including himself. And it was now against his nature to do anything without slow and steady thought and consideration. From the day Joshua abandoned his Mom and him to the day that Jacob came back to take the Pack because of a decision Sam had made he had changed. Little bit by little bit. He was a careful man now. And she loved him all the more for it.

And this involved Joshua. Once, a long time ago, she had said that name in anger and they both had lost so much from that accident. Of course – of course he was going to be careful about this. It was who Sam was.

She wrapped her arms around her wolf and snuggled in close. Their hearts beat in time because no matter what caused the imprinting it didn't deter from the fact that she and him made each other happy, made each other complete.

Tomorrow night.

She didn't say anything but she was pretty sure that this was going to be a good thing.

XXXXXXXX

The Alpha padded over to the wolf stationed over the brown house.

_Go home, Embry._

Embry whined, his mind flickering over the fact that he was sort of homeless.

_ Go crash on my couch then, dumbass. You know Dad doesn't care._ He nipped at his brother's ear.

_Thanks, Jake. See you later._ Embry disappeared, his mind thinking of an old couch and a big bowl of cereal.

Jacob settled down on the ground for the night. It was hard to keep up the patrol of their new brother but he wasn't going to risk it. He felt the pull and the strength of the wolf growing inside of the new brother. Jake's own wolf padded forward and wondered if Jake knew that the wolves didn't 'grow' they were always there.

Well, Jake didn't know that.

Most of that stuff had been lost, most of the knowledge had gotten eaten by time. The legends were all they had and they found out that those legends didn't cover a lot.

They didn't cover that the wolves practically evolved into a voice in their heads when they got older. Spirit wolves, that's what they told their families and their imprints. But it was more than that. It was the wolf that chose the imprint, it was the wolf that fed them instinct and guided them through wartime and shared with them things lost by time. It was the wolf that kept them company. Kept them bonded. He was the wolf and the wolf was him but it was so much more complex than that.

So much more complex that he didn't want to think about it.

The wolf agreed. Thinking was what humans did when they needed something to do. The wolf did not think when it hunted – it didn't need to.

Jake chuckled and shook his snout in the dark night. He rested his eyes knowing that he would feel it if something went wrong. He was close enough to gauge the emotions of the drunk teenager. From what he had heard – literally – they had done some howling to the moon. Good to see Collin and Brady show him the way of the wolf ahead of time, he thought drily. His wolf lolled with laughter and settled in for the night as well. He promised Jake he would stay awake and watch over the new brother-to-come. Jacob needed rest. He had much on his shoulders.

The night when on and the Pack slept.

XXXXXXXX

_What did you think of how I wrote the Pack shifted together? Was is clear and readable? Sometimes it's hard to read how people write the different thoughts and feelings. Thank you! _

_- Winter_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything! (Sweeties, I'm so broke I eat more ramen than Maggie and her kids, lol!) _

_Thank you – Princess Mishawaka, Musicstorm, Whisper22, Of-Darling-November, Maxsmomma, and Fatesmask for the lovely, lovely reviews. Keep it up, please! I love hearing your thoughts. :)_

**Chapter Five  
**

Just like she promised she woke up Sunny early. Maggie was stirring the oatmeal pot when Sunshine quietly came down and sat at the table. She poured herself another cup of coffee and Sunny a glass of orange juice. When she sat down next to her at their kitchen table she studied her sister a little.

Sunshine looked very sorry.

But Maggie had to know she wasn't doing anything stupid when she was working. Sunny goddamn knew that. They all knew that. They weren't like other families. They didn't have parents, they never had parents, and all they had was their heads and each other. Maybe she was over reacting. It was just once. But she didn't kid about safety back in Denver and she wasn't letting up about it now that they were living in less dangerous place.

"So." She took a sip of her coffee and stared at her little sister.

Sunny blinked back looking a little too innocent.

"You didn't come home last night until after dark. And _not_ until I got you on the walkie-talkie." Maggie stated Sunny's crime. "Got anything to say, babe?"

"I'm sorry?" Her voice was soft and sincere. "I lost track of time."

Her eyes darted down to her orange juice and flickered back up. Magnolia tilted her head as she studied the younger girls face. "What do you mean you lost track of time?"  
"I...I was busy."

Maggie leaned forward and raised her brow. "Sunshine Uley, what on earth do you do back there?"

She had always pictured Sunny making like a little fort or a little secret hide out somewhere back there. She figured it was good for her to have a place like that. Maggie was busy a lot and the house was full of boys and sometimes a girl needed time to herself. Even eight year old girls. But something was definitely off and she wished she had seen it sooner.

Sunny took a deep breath, knowing that it was time to share her secret. "I...I go to Mr. Sam and Miss Emily's house."

It took her a moment, just one moment, to figure out what she was hearing. The way it sounded coming out of Sunny's mouth was as if she was talking about regular old neighbors. Like back in Denver. She was a polite kid. She tried to address people properly. It took her a moment to connect the 'Mr. Sam' to the mysterious long lost half-brother she had been sort of looking for.

"What's his last name?" She demanded. Her stomach twisted as she felt a uncomfortable wave settle on her. She didn't like this.

"I don't know. But he's very nice and so is she." Sunny nodded quickly and wholeheartedly. She then began to explain everything about Mr. Sam and his Miss Emily. And all of it convinced Maggie that this was their long lost brother. And at the end, when Sunny innocently told her everything, she asked one simple question.

"Did you tell them you're last name, sweetie? And talk about us and Joshua?"

Sunny shrugged. "Yea, I think so. I mean, I introduced myself like Sister Maria taught us. With my first and last name because it's polite. And I talked about...the family." A look of guilt passed her face and Maggie assumed that Sam and Emily had heard her little sister complaining about big brothers and gross habits. Sunny bit her lower lip and continued. "They're really nice and last night they invited me for supper and I stayed and I was helping Miss Emily wash dishes and then you walkie-talkied and..and I came right home! I promise!"

Magnolia was fucking confused.

She knew that Sunny was the most polite creature in the whole wide world. So the odds were stacked and stacked some more that she had said her full name to these people. It also made sense that she was going somewhere else because seriously – what else could she be doing in the woods? What didn't make sense is why on earth would he not come by? There was no way that this guy wasn't Sam Uley. There was a path apparently connecting his grandma's house to their house. And his name was Sam. It wasn't just a weird coincidence. Sam was a common name but it just didn't feel right.

Maggie closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Maggie?" Sunny whispered worriedly. "I'm so so so sorry. I won't do it again, I promise!"

Before she could react Sunny had come over and wrapped her arms around her. Maggie hugged her back and petted her hair. She soothed her worries away. Now that she knew that she had been relatively safe and not wandering around in the woods after dark she couldn't be as mad as she was before. And she had bigger fish to fry. Maggie felt like her world was getting those lightning bolts out of the sky again. The kind that said "fuck you Maggie, fuck you and everything you want out of life, because guess what? We're still coming for you." She couldn't imagine why this Sam would...she needed to know what game was being played here.

Even if it was some weird, random coincidence that a guy named Sam had a home that had a path connecting through the old property to the old house of a woman who had a grandson named Sam who happened to be their long lost brother – it meant that strangers had thought it was okay to let a kid hang out at their house for hours and hours a week without talking to her family or walking her home at least once. If she had a extra kid hanging out at her house for all that time she'd be walking that kid home or introducing herself to the family. It was the decent thing to do.

Other than Sunny being a smart kid and a kid that she could trust how did she know that these people weren't fucking freaks? It didn't sit well with her and it pissed her off. But the morning was coming on and she had shit to do.

"Go get ready for school and tell the boys to get up." She said, running her hand through her messy brown hair and mentally getting her head on straight.

The morning came and all was forgiven with Sunny. By the time that the bus came to their stop to pick them up she had decided on a plan of action. As she stood at the front door and waved them off she decided it was now or never.

She was going to find these Sam and Emily people once and for all and settle this.

Magnolia didn't like to let things sit. She liked to tackle them.

XXXXXXXX

Every morning Emily made breakfast for the Pack. Usually not all the Pack attended or she'd be eaten out of house and home. But most mornings she found Paul and Quil at her breakfast table next to Sam. Embry was often with them and a every few days Seth came by to enjoy her breakfast even though his Mom still made him his favorite mickey mouse pancakes when he asked. Jake was known to come by too. The only ones who usually never came so early in the morning were the pups. They had their own families to eat breakfast with and if they had a choice – there was no way they were getting up so early to eat. Not even for her famous muffins.

Tuesday morning her kitchen was packed. There was Sam, Paul, Quil, Jake, and Embry. They were here to give their brotherly support to Sam who was taking the plunge and going over to his long lost half-siblings house and sharing the truth with them. That earned some brother-brother Pack time over Emily's delicious breakfast.

Sam leaned his giant frame back onto the sturdy chair and table set he had built for his imprint and slowly finished his coffee, talking about the patrol schedule with Jake, as Embry and Quil thanked Emily by doing the dishes. Paul was eating the last of his last stack of pancakes and bacon and grumbling about his lack of jobs. He had gotten a job – at the marina working a fishing boat. He hated it. Really, really hated it. His last job had been at a bar where he could have all the free booze he wanted. His crazy ass boss (his words, not theirs) had fired him because he had to disapear once or twice when the patrol schedule got fucked up and no one could get away. It wasn't like she couldn't handle the bar herself – she lived upstairs. But no...no she had to fire him for it. He didn't think it and didn't say it but he was pretty pissed off to find that his job went to Sam's long lost sister. Apparently she charmed all of his favorites by dressing in hooker clothes and letting them buy her drinks. They never offered to by him drinks. To which Embry quietly commented was because he didn't have two tits and a ass that they wanted to squeeze.

The Pack and Emily chuckled.

"I think we've got the schedule worked out, man." Jake commented feeling satisfied and temporarily full. "We haven't had any hiccups. Jared and Kim got the bus schedule all cemented down for the rest of the school year. Seth is still working on Quil's Dad's boat." Many of them worked with the Ateara boats. Because the Ateara boats were owned by Quil's Dad and Grandfather. They were all in on the secret and they were prepared and willing to let them work around their duties to the Tribe and to the Pack. It made things simpler for them. "As is Jared, Quil, and Paul."

Paul grunted as he passed his plate into the sink and sat back down. "I hate water, man. I really fucking hate it."

"We're Quileute, brother. We practically live off the ocean." Quil shook his head. Quil was hardcore Tribal proud. He was Old Quil's grandson – it was in his blood. Paul tossed a piece of bacon at Quil's head and Quil snapped to attention, catching it in his mouth with a swift bite. "Mm...bacon."  
The other wolf rolled his eyes and went back to his breakfast, muttering about stupid wolves and dumb bacon.

"The year has been good to the Pack." Emily commented quietly as she sat down next to her Sam and clasped her hand over his. He squeezed it softly and pulled her close, wolfishly nuzzling her neck. She laughed softly and the unimprinted wolves rolled their eyes. Imprint love. It wasn't as bad when it was Jared and Kim. But watching Sam and Emily was kind of like watching parents make-out.

"It's been pretty cool to us." Jake agreed. "I stopped by at Bella's this weekend and got a chance to talk to the Doc."

"They moving on?" Sam asked.

Emily squeezed his hand and the others turned their attention to their Alpha's words. The Cullens were a sore spot for the Pack but they were allies and the two parties had repaired their damage as best as they could under the leadership of Jake and Dr. Cullen. But it'd be a good day when the Cullens finally left the Olympic Pensula. If and when they did it wouldn't mean that all of them left. Bella was refusing to go until she absolutely had to. She wanted to stay where her Father was, where Jake was.

The Alpha still loved her but in the back his heart where the memory of a warm hearted girl he had helped put back together was kept safe. A girl he ate mud with when they were kids, the girl who had been to naive to realize she was playing with hearts not her own. He had fought for her until her heart stopped beating. He had kept his promise.

It was because of this history that the Pack kept their opinions to themselves. All but Seth really didn't like Bella or the Cullens. But they respected and needed Jake. They were Pack and they took care of each other always.

"Are they?" Paul asked, leaning forward with a interested gleam masked poorly in his eyes.

Jake shook his head. "The longest they stay in one place is nine years. And they've been here for only six this fall. Since the Doc 'retired' to 'write his book and do his research' and they've been keeping out of sight of the town they think they can go for the full nine. Bella wants to stay with Charlie and see him through as long as she can. She wanted to enroll Nessie in school when she stops aging."

"As what? Their genetically enhanced daughter?"

"As her long lost cousin or sister or something." Jake shrugged. "It'll be good for the kid."

"So it's the same deal – the Cullens are sticking around and Bella has plans. Why bring it up?" Embry asked, sitting back down at the table with them.

Jake rubbed the back of his neck. "Because they think that the confrontation with their Volturi has exposed the Olympic Pensula to their kind and all of it's...benefits." His voice lowered to a growl over the word benefit. Not sparkling in the sun. Not having to hide their true identities around humans during the daylight while they hunted. Those kind of benefits.

"What does that mean?" Sam asked sharply, putting a protective instinctive arm around his Emily.

Their Alpha and leader opened his mouth to continue on to explain the issues that the Cullens feared would arise but was untimely interupted by the sound of angry rapping knocking on the back door. It was hidden by a curtain of beads but as they startled group jumped and turned they could make the outline of a thin woman with a baby on her hip.

_Rap Rap Rap!_

The group stared at the back door for a heavy, long beat of a moment.

"I CAN SEE YOU IN THERE!" A young, female voice yelled through the glass and the beads. She began to use her palm against the glass of the sliding door.

Emily exchanged shaken glasses with Sam whose face had turned stony with shock.

"Oh shit."

"Uh, oh, man. We better get out of here."

The Pack exchanged their own furtive, muted horrified glances with each other. Jake sighed a low heavy sigh. He had been afraid of this.

"Better go get the door." He stated quietly to Sam.

Sam lifted his large frame up and went to the back door that was almost rattling by the time he got to it. Sam took a solemn breath and pulled the beads back and slid the door open. It was the first time he had actually gotten a look at Sunny's older sister – _his sister._ He had heard her voice countless times, from patrolling their house to the radio that Sunshine carried around. But he had never seen her up close as in right in front of him.

And she was young.

She was only a couple of years younger than he was but she looked younger. And smaller. She sounded alot larger through the radio. Now she just looked...thin, small. Her skirt was tight but her top hung off her shoulder it was so loose. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head and large hoop earings dangled from her ears. Her skin and eyes were lighter than his and frame with a face that was thin but not long. The scent of cigarettes, coffee, baby, and booze covered her.

And the scent of their shared blood waved off of her carried by anger, fierce and unrelenting indignated anger. It sparked out of her eyes and for a moment he felt cornered. There was no escaping her eyes, her anger. She was here and she wasn't moving. His body stiffened and he felt the Pack behind him sense his change and murmur to each other. Sam took a deep breath getting ready to say something but she beat him to it.

"Is your name Sam Uley?!" Her voice shot out hoarse but strong and very, very contained with accusation. Her eyes zeroed in on him.

"Yes, my name is Sam Uley." Sam answered, knowing that his answer was pretty much sealing his fate. He wasn't sure what that fate was but judging from the look on her face...it wasn't pretty.

"My name is Magnolia Uley, call me Maggie. Congratulations. You've just met your other sister. Now are you going to invite me in or are we going to have it out outside? Either way I'm not going anywhere until we do." Maggie stared down her older half-brother like she could do it all day. She hadn't meant on making a scene...except she had. She had...she had secretly-secretly hoped that he wasn't Sam Uley. That the real Sam Uley was like out of town or something. But, here he was. And she was here. And the things she needed to say to him was burning to get out like candy money in a kid's pocket.

Sam Uley was massive. A giant with large round muscles and a height that made her feel like a creepy oompa-loompa person. Sam Uley's face expressionless. She instinctively pressed Jackson closer to her as he silently stepped out of the cabin and pulled the glass door shut. He didn't say a word to her but when he had answered her question his voice had been deep and naturally authoritative. She didn't like that. He didn't deserve to talk like that to her after what he had done.

"So I came home from work last night." She started out, her jaw almost twitching as she pushed the words out of her mouth as a even, quick rate. Maggie kept her eyes on him at all times, but in her mind she was thinking that she had a tazer and a can of paper-spray in her purse. She also kept a pocket knife in her back pocket. He wasn't just big – he was like big like those kids who came by the night before. Except they were kids and he was full on man. Magnolia wasn't going to let him intimidate her but she also knew it was probably a good idea that he didn't invite her inside. And Sunny had been comfortable around this dude? She'd have to deal with that problem later. "And I found realized my kid sister wasn't in the house and it was after dark. She's been playing in the woods alot since we moved here and I was told the forest was safe so I gave her a walkie talkie, told her to be home before dark, and let her go at it. I figured she was going all Secret Garden out here – it's one of her favorite movies. Except this morning when I get her up early to have a nice long chat about what the hell goes on in a forest after dark – I was prepared to talk monkey bats and tigers and bears – she says that she's been hanging out with _our neighbors._ A man and woman named Sam and Emily. People I've never met and I can't help but think of the half-brother my Dad told me about the day after we got into La Push. A half-brother named Sam Uley I didn't even know was out there. For minute I think that if this guy is my half-brother then he didn't know. It's some weird kharma-destiny thing that our little sister found him. But come on – it's _Sunshine_. That girl is polite as hell and loves, loves to talk. Since you're standing looking like a statue I'm figuring she talked quite a bit to you. She enjoys a good ear to bend. **She sure as hell said her full name** and I'm pretty sure she mentioned _Joshua's_ name in passing because none of us call that drunk-ass-son-of-a-bitch Dad."

Sam stood silently, taking all the words that she had for him silently. It unnerved her and he could sense that but it wasn't his intention. If she had his abilities, if she was a wolf too, then she'd be able to see sense that right now he felt cornered but also conflicted. He had acted in the way he thought best. He knew the risk but he still went at it his way. Through her eyes he was clearly a threat. Underneath the anger, the temper, the words she was evenly throwing out with eyes that wouldn't stop looking at his, was fear. Fear focused on him. She held her kid tightly. The only one who wasn't upset in the yard was the kid she was holding on her hip. He looked like he was used to hanging out with his sister while she yelled at strange men in strange places. Sam wanted to say something but he hadn't thought of what he was going to say to them or to her yet. It was easier when it was just Sunny and she did all of the talking. He got the impression she learned that talent from her sister.

"You've been hanging out with Sunny all this time and never bothered to tell her that you were her brother or come up to the house and tell us you lived in our fucking back yard. I don't like that. I don't like you. **And I sure as hell don't like whatever game your playing at so you better fucking end it now or I'll make your life a living hell, shithead!**" Maggie finished as her voice rose a pitch with each point she made until it was almost cracking. She finished strong though it didn't matter. He was still standing there like a goddamn emotionless statue.

Jackson felt at this moment that he wanted to say something too. "Car!"

He was disappointed when no one looked at him.

Instead Maggie waited a moment for Sam to say something. He was just about to say something when she demanded. "Well? Got anything to say to me, shithead?"

Inside of the cabin the wolves and Emily sat listening in dead silence. Even Emily could hear Magnolia's tirade.

"Should we go out there? Make sure he's not going to blow his top?" Quil brought up in a low voice.

Emily shook her head. In a soft but firm voice she answered. "No, he'll be fine."

Sam didn't feel like he was going to be fine. "I'm sorry that you're upset. I meant no harm but I only realized that my father had other children when you moved to La Push."

"And yet you've spent hours a week with our little sister without mentioning a word to us?"

"Why have you not come and found me." He countered, he took a step forward but quickly stopped when he saw her tense up. "You've been here for over a month and a half."

She raised a unimpressed brow. "I got four kids to feed, shelter, and take care of. What's _your_ excuse?"

"I was thinking the best way to approach the situation." He replied, his voice steady. He wouldn't let her stare him down. It was against everything man and wolf inside of him. So he kept his eyes on hers and she kept hers on his. Her eyes came from her Mother he knew. They were hazel and green. Like a shade of green he sometimes saw on his patrols along the forest. But they were also flinty and guarded and angry. He realized his mistake was naturally assuming that she - that they - would be okay with what he had to say when he got to saying it. That's how it worked with him and others in most situations. People listened to him. People respected him and his way of doing things. But his way of doing things was not natural for the young woman standing in front of him. He could feel it, see it in her eyes. She took everything on headfirst. She didn't wait, maybe...maybe she couldn't afford to wait. For whatever reason, Sam had made another mistake. Instead of being rash he had been too careful this time.

Magnolia shifted her weight and switched Jackson to her other hip. She had pulled on his jacket but not hers when she decided to march through the forest and take this head on. The forest was wet and cold and here, standing behind his cabin, it was cold to the skin. She suppressed a shiver and hugged her warm little brother to her body. She wasn't buying his shit. She just...didn't understand it. Why wait? It seemed so fucking stupid. Come by, say hey – we share a shitty father. Thought you'd like to know if you didn't already. That was it. That was all there was to it.

"It's not hard like that algebra stuff." She shook her head. "It's 'we share the same shitty ass father, figured you might want to know'. That's it. I mean – I get if you don't want us in your life. We don't know you and you don't know us –_ except_ you know Sunshine. Which is the killer thing about this entire situation – the most sweetest most fucking big-hearted little girl in the whole damn world is going to find our her precious 'Mr. Sam' was her brother all along and never told her about it. I don't know about you but in our side of the family – we lay it all on the line. We keep it real and don't hide shit like that. I'm going to have to tell her and if you have listened to her at all I'm pretty sure you picked up on the whole crack-momma/drunk-daddy thing. This is just a piece of rotten cake on rotten cake, isn't it?"

Magnolia's voice bit out and he felt guilty. He had meant to sit Sunny down and explain it to her. Maybe with Emily there with him with extra cookies. And then he'd get to know the other kids. Even Maggie. She was right. He didn't know her and they didn't know him. But he knew Sunshine and that was his grand fucking mistake.

"I didn't mean any harm to her. I felt it was best to think things through first." He patiently tried to explain.

"Never mind the eight year old's feelings."

"I meant to talk to her with my wife."

"Before or after you came up to the house?" Magnolia wasn't letting him off the hook. But her anger was simmering down and underneath it was the fear. Her face had been focused and intent on his but it started to relax. She was worried for Sunny. Sam wanted to do it over again. He wanted to go back and walk Sunny back up to the house when she first appeared behind their cabin and he wanted to introduce himself to them. He had no idea how it would have gone. He was suspicious that there would have been yelling and swearing and maybe at him. But at least he would not have risked the emotions of a innocent eight year old kid who didn't know any better.

"I don't know. I hadn't decided yet." Honesty a little late was still honesty...he hoped.

"So the guy who wants to think things over hadn't made any decisions?" All of a sudden Maggie was tired. Tired and cold and not wanting to look at the stupid giant standing in front of her who was going to make her hurt her little sister's new, perfect little world. It was her fault. She shouldn't have not asked questions about Sunny's time out back. She should have been on top of it. Back in Denver she always knew where and what Sunny's time was being spent on. She would have asked questions. The air was cold around her and it started to drizzle or maybe it had been drizzling the entire time. Her free hand felt tucked a strand of her hair back and her hair felt damp. Sam looked perfectly dry. The shithead.

"I would like a chance to speak to her. I'd want to apologize to her and explain." Sam replied, meaning it with his entire heart.

Maggie was quiet for a long moment. A moment where he realized she standing in the rain and shivering and her make-up was starting to wilt. Mascara that began to melt around her eyes making shadows look a little larger than they were. She looked tired and worn out. He didn't know where she got the energy to yell like she did or run around in ridiculous clothing or hold that kid on her hip like he weighed nothing at all. Magnolia was tired. If she hadn't been so angry and talking to fast and so loud at him when she got here he would have asked her inside to sit down.

Jackson knew his sister was tired but also knew that he wanted to try out his new word again. He filled the silence twice with "Car! Car!". Jackson felt satisfied and well-heard when Sam flickered his gaze towards him and his face softened just a little. Cute kid.

Magnolia finally spoke. She looked him straight in the eyes again and in a even, final voice she expressed. "Sunny's my sister not my daughter – but she's my kid. _My kid._ Meaning – what I say goes. And what I say is that you stay the hell away from my kids. We go our seperate ways. You don't talk to Sunny and you don't find her. That goes for your wife too. I'll sit Sunshine down tonight and explain. Then I'll talk to the boys about it. If and when the boys and Sunny want to come around is _their _goddamn choice. Like I said – I'm her sister not her mother. But if you ever, _ever _hurt one of my kids again..._I __will__ beat your ass down_. And if that don't work – I'll burn it. Or run it over. Or cut it. _I don't care how I do it – I will take you down. _You hear me?"

He heard her.

By a lot.

The people in the cabin heard it too.

With her words said and her mission fulfilled she nodded curtly and turned and walked away. But saying her piece didn't feel as good as it normally did. Magnolia didn't feel better at all. But how she felt wasn't as half as bad as what Sam was feeling as he watched her walk away.

Emily had been waiting for the right moment and slipped out of the Cabin. Jake was behind her after a moment. She slipped her arm around his waist and looked up at him. "You should go talk to her."

"I think she said her piece."

Jake clapped a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder. "I'm sorry it worked out this way. I'm sure she'll come around."

"And she didn't say that Sunny couldn't come over just that she let Sunny decide." Emily said, although she was worried for the little girl. She had been excited when she thought about the kids, excited about what having real brothers and sisters would mean for Sam. He had been a only child and his family was gone or dead. He was so good with Sunny and she knew if things could just settle down and he could be given a chance – he'd be good for the rest of them too. And they'd be good for him. But, it wasn't the time to say such a thing. It was the time to support Sam and stay by his side.

"I know you don't want to hear this brother but the Council is going to bring them in quick. At least in a couple more months – tops – you're brother will be able to understand how it was."

"Yea, but what about the others?" Sam said, after listening to his Alpha and his Imprint support him.

"Just like any other human family of the Pack. Either in the dark or in the know."  
Sam shook his head and ran a stressed hand through his cropped, black hair. His voice was low and growly when he said. "It would have been better for everyone if they had stayed in Denver."

XXXXXXXX

Telling them had not been a easy thing.

By the end of the day Sunshine was on her bed after crying some very confused tears. Cash walked out of the house and punched a hole in the ground – a fucking _hole_! She sure as hell didn't know what was going on with him. She was beginning to get worried. Alby was pissed off no one told him that there was another Uley floating around out there. And the only one that wasn't upset was Jackson.

She landed on the back porch with a blanket wrapped around her and a hot cup of Irish Coffee in her hands. Maggie watched Cash try to fill the hole that he punched and tried not to look at the path she could now see from the forest. It made her uncomfortable that they were so close to the shithead (she had called Sam Uley that and it sort of just stuck in her head) but she had no doubt they could do like she said. He go one way, they go another way. It was better this way.

He had hurt Sunny. And no one hurt one of her kids.

Sunshine didn't believe it at first when her sister told her the news. Mr. Sam was her brother? But why didn't he say anything? It didn't make sense. Not at all. It had made her heart hurt and only her Mama and Joshua made her heart hurt look like that. But Mr. Sam wasn't like them. He didn't do bad things or drink or do drugs. She didn't understand why he didn't want to be her brother. Weren't they friends? It just didn't make any sense. Magnolia told her that it was up to her if she wanted to go see him and talk. But that if she did she would have to take one of them with her for the first time. Uley's – at least this side of the Uley's – stuck together. That was what Maggie said. Sunshine wasn't sure she wanted to see him right now because she would probably cry and if she had one of her brothers or her sister with her then they'd start to yell and maybe possible try to beat up Mr. Sam because that's what they did. They didn't like to see her cry. But...but she really wanted to know _why_.

Sunny fell asleep in her clothes on top of her covers. It wasn't Maggie that tucked her in - it was Cash. He walked by her room and had seen her sleeping with dried tears on her cheeks. Magnolia was still on the porch nursing a spiked coffee and looking like she just wanted to sleep. He thought she was getting sick or something. He quietly snuck into Sunny's room. Her half of the room was covered in drawings, posters of little girl stuff like ponies and princesses, and pictures of them. Her body was surrounded by her stuffed animals. All five dozen of them. He was pretty sure she had names for them all. Cash picked her up as softly as he could and pulled back her covers. Cash pulled off her shoes and tucked her in tight. As he pulled up the covers she woke up sleepily. Out of instinct her arms pulled him down for a hug.

"Why did Mr. Sam not want to be my brother?" She asked quietly, her voice all soft and a little shaky like she wanted to cry. Cash didn't like that. He shifted to sit next to her on the bed and pulled her against him trying to figure out what to say.

"Uh...well...I think it's more complicated than that, Sunny-bear." He said, using his nickname for her. She snuggled up close and pressed her head against his chest. He patted her soft head and continued. "I bet he was freaked out when we showed up. If he didn't know about us then I bet he was freaked out by it all. I know I would be if five more of Joshua's kids randomly showed up."  
She thought of that for a moment. "That's true."

"Do you want me to go talk to him?" He offered.

They both knew what _that_ meant.

"No, I think I just want to think for a while." Sunny replied thoughtfully, the tears ebbing away from her voice.

"Thoughts are good." He approved of this plan.

He stayed with her until she fell asleep staring up at a ceiling that she had plastered with glow in the dark rainbow stars. When she asleep he slipped away and left the door open a crack after checking on Jackson. He was out like a light. Cash grabbed a beer out of the fridge and found Maggie on the porch sitting next to Alby. He settled next to them. They hadn't any chair on the back porch and they hadn't fixed the front porch swing yet either. Cash figured he should do something about that soon.

"Just a sip, kid." He passed his beer to Alby. Alby grinned and took a sip that last a little longer than it should have. He grabbed it out of his hand and ruffled Alby's head. "I said just a sip, dumbass."

Alby shrugged and smirked. "It's not like I haven't had it before."

Uley's started drinking at a early age. At least with the younger kids they had someone older making them stop. He had one too. Mostly because by trial and error Magnolia had figured out the hard way what drinking could do to a kid. He remembered a few nights when he woke up to her on the floor of the trailer's bathroom puking like she would never stop. Just thinking about it put a chill in his spine. Maggie had done it all, he had done some, and with each kid down the line there were less and less fuck ups. That's probably why Sunny was such a goddamn saint.

"What a fucking day." Maggie stated suddenly, shaking her head. Her limbs were warmer now from the whiskey in her coffee and she was appreciating the soft warmth in lent to her stomach. She scrambled closer to Cash and looped her arm close to his. The sun had just set a little but it was still out. It had been a hell of a day. Magnolia tucked her head against his shoulder and he rolled his eyes.

"Irish coffee makes you such a fucking girl." He commented drily.

"I am a girl!"  
"No shit. And here I thought you were just a sister."

"Fuck you." Maggie retorted with a smile in her voice but not on her face.

He pulled in close because that's what brothers did. Whoever this Sam was didn't know that, did he? He shook his head and decided that if Maggie hadn't given her word that they'd go their separate ways or whatever then he'd go and have a long ass conversation with that dude involving his fists and maybe a pipe he found in the basement. That asshole was a douche. But then again. One of Joshua's kids had to be like him. The only thing that didn't make sense was why Sunny had been so comfortable around him. But then again...Sunny still was known to put a blanket over Joshua when he came around and passed out on the floor. She was a saint that way. Cash pushed all the shit from the day out of his mind.

They had gotten through another day.

"The house is a vortex for electricity." Maggie said suddenly. Her voice was soft and sleepy.

"I can use the cash from the emergency fund to go buy those green-friendly light bulbs we used back in Denver. This place is way out of date." He suggested.

"We could use a clothes line for the clothes?" Alby added. "Then you won't have to use a dryer."

"It's so wet here the clothes would never dry." She moaned. "I didn't think about the rain factor. Denver was so sunny!"

And like that they were back to business. Talking about how to cut their electric bill so they could sign Sunny up for her saxophone lessons and Alby could still keep their beloved Netflix subscription and internet, and they could have their various vices to get through the week and the month and the year. Cutting bills down, finding ways to come up with money, it was all normal for them. It was their normal.

Magnolia was drowsy and her eyes were heavy with whiskey and sleep. Her kids were alright. They were alright. And that was all that mattered when the day ended. The rain from the cloudy, evening sky drizzled over the porch and dripped down in rivulets of drops and streams. She watched it as ideas and words came out of her mouth and she listened to their solutions. Cash was going to find out what it took to get the wood burning stove and fireplace going without burning down their house.

Alby suggested that they don't ask and get a insurance policy out on the house.

Maggie drily suggested back that they put that down at the very, very bottom of their list of solutions.

"We need another car, this isn't Denver. There's no bus system to get to the store or to the library. We're out here in the goddamn boondocks."

"Yea, I could find a job I could go to if I could get my ass into Forks."  
"Emergency fund?" Maggie groaned, burying her head into his chest. She hated spending large amounts of money. It grated on every penny-saving, coupon-clipping nerve in her body.

"Got enough I think to find something that'll get us through for a year or two."

"Don't spend too much." She warned.

"I got it handled." He replied smoothly.  
"Don't get a van. We already have one." She added, as her voice slowed down and sleep began to claim her.

"No van."

"And no burning down...the house...for...insurance..." And with that she was out like a light.

"Need help putting her to bed?" Alby asked Cash.

Cash shook his head. He had put her to bed more times than he could count. "Naw, I got this. Go brush your teeth or something. We got school in the morning."

He picked her up and carried her inside. And like he did with Sunny he put her to bed. It wasn't that often that he had to take the wheel. Just every once in a while. But he was always there to do it. He carefully set her down on her mattress and covered her up with a blanket. He brushed back her hair and rolled his eyes when she muttered something about insurance policies underneath her breath. Cash turned off her light and left her door open and when Alby went to bed he went back out onto the porch.

There was something inside of him. Pulling at him. When he was alone – especially when he was alone – he felt it. His Mom was kind of crazy. Maybe she was mentally whacked or something. That stuff was genetic. He wasn't a volatile dude, he learned to keep it together. But he felt like he wasn't keeping it together anymore. Maybe on the outside he looked good and together but on the inside he felt like he was been torn apart. There was no reason for it. Yea, life was shitty and they had been dealt a bad hand. He had been dealt a bad hand – but that was old news.

It was something else.

It was in this land, in the forest that surrounded them, in the big giants that he had seen around town, the sounds of the wolves that haunted the forests every night, even in those two doofus's that were stalking him at school. It was here, in La Push, and he was sure he was going crazy.

But he couldn't go crazy.

Too many things fell onto his shoulders. He had to help Maggie raise the kids. He didn't mind. He loved the kids and he loved Maggie and he didn't give a flying shit what people thought of them. Cash couldn't go crazy though. He couldn't lose it. He had no fucking choice.

Somewhere, deep inside of Cash, in a place that had always existed. Somewhere between mind and heart and soul and body there was a wolf. And the wolf was growling. The wolf felt that it's time was near and it was needed and the sounds of his brothers yips and howls were pulling him out. Soon...soon he would be Pack again. Soon he would know his human and his human would know him.

XXXXXXXXX

_Hi! So it finally happened! I almost – ALMOST – had Jacob walk out of the cabin while Maggie was still saying her piece. It felt a little too crammed together when I tried to figure out how to write it. BUT it will happen soon. Things will definitely start picking up for Magnolia, Cash, and the kids. (Dun dun dun!) Please keep reviewing, I really love the interaction it feeds into the writing of this story. It's nice to hear your thoughts on the developement. _

_Love, Winter_


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer : I own nothing, nada. Not Stephenie Meyer. Etc.

Thank you...MaxsMomma, Of-Darling-November, Whisper22, Princess Mishawaka, Moonstars, Musicstorm, Wolfhappiness, kh73, , Sweet Petit, and 'Guest' for all of the lovely reviews. I apologize for this chapter being a little later. I haven't been feeling very well. Life is speeding up so chapters might start coming in once to twice a week. Keep reviewing, please! I love the feedback. :)

**Chapter Six**

Most people in La Push lived in the village, tucked in together, like the tight community it was. But there were quite a few homes, cabins, and families that were tucked away in the forest filling the reservation. The Black family was one of them. It used to be a farm. That's where the shed came from. Half of it had collapsed a couple of years after his Dad started using his wheelchair. Jake had hated seeing his Dad's expression when they realized that there was nothing that they could do about it.

He supposed he could fix it now. He could use the space to hold more parts, more cars. But there were too many things to do and he already had what he needed to support his part-time car business. It wasn't really a business. It was more find car, fix up car, and sell car on e-bay or auction site or local newspaper ad section. Maybe someday when he had fulfilled his duty as Alpha, when he found someone he wanted to give up phasing for, he could expand and have his own shop. Something to leave to his kids. But that was a long way off. Maybe even lifetimes. For now he looked at what was ahead of him. Pack. Family. His Duty.

Jake rolled out from underneath the old Ford Fiesta he was working on. It had been smashed up in a bender and he had gotten it for a steal. The great thing about the wolf powers was that he didn't need some of the advanced equipment to pull things back into place that the shops did. He could also manhandle the cars in ways that usually required lifts and chains. It made for easier, quicker fix up cars. Jake was thinking he could clear maybe – seven hundred dollars when he was done. That's when he covered the expenses he had already covered the two hundred or so he already spent. Maybe he could get more if he threw on a fresh coat of paint...the paint looked a little out of date.

The sound of rain slowly drizzling over his work shed was familiar and soothing to Jake. He liked his time working on cars. In this space he could just focus on the car and forget about the rest. It balanced everything out. He stood up and put his tools back on the work bench. Jake wiped his hands down and looked outside across the clearing to the forest. He wasn't looking visually. He didn't need to. But it was habit. The weight of his Pack spread out across La Push. Collin and Brady were phased and roaming around the perimeter to the north. Quil was heading up towards the Makah Rez to hang out with Claire. Jared was working on the boat with Paul. Seth was at Sam's. Sam was at Sam's too.

And Cash was close.

Every day he could feel the newcomer grow stronger and stronger and stronger. A couple of days ago there had been a scene. A huge scene involving a very pissed off future sister of a pack member. Well, technically she was a sister of the Pack. No sister related to the Pack knew about the secret or knew that their brother was a shape-shifting wolf. His sisters certainly didn't. Maybe if he had been younger and they had still be around they would be on the inside. Whenever they came around it was like having two mothers. The way it sounded and the way it looked – she was raising them. Which made her more than let's say – Jared's sister who was absolutely oblivious and thought that Jared was part of a cult or something. She kept leaving bibles and Christian self-help books in him and Kim's house. Jacob knew that there would be a strong possibility that Magnolia Uley would have to know about the Pack.

She and Cash were practically outsiders. From what Sue Clearwater reported they didn't even know they were half-Quileute until January. That...that was unthinkable to them. To not know the Tribe's history and ways let alone not even know that it was your heritage, who you were? The new Uley's had a lot of catching up to do.

And he needed them to catch up soon.

And Cash was _very_ close.

Jacob walked out of his shed and looked to the house where he saw a familiar orange and brown van rolling in. What were the new Uley clan doing here? Had the Council made a move in bringing them inside the circle? He was pretty sure that they were still planning to do that tomorrow on Friday. He strode over and watched carefully as he saw his almost-Pack brother get out of the van. He had wondered where he was. Well, wondered why he wasn't in school. Normally he felt him at the school during school hours with Collin and Brady but not today. Something had happened but if had been something important he would have known. His Pack would have told him. Jake didn't like the idea of him messing around with his routine. Routine meant he still had time. But if he started acting sporadically that meant the change was advancing. And they all needed more time.

He wasn't alone. He had the kids with him. Even the baby. He had met Sunny before at Sam's before her sister had found out and coming around yelling. He knew that she hadn't gone by since because Sam felt grief and worry over it. Jake could feel almost everything to some extent from his Pack and the imprints. It was a difficult weight to manage.

Cash Uley. He had gotten slightly taller and was beginning to fill out. They were probably at the 'It's just a growth spurt' stage. That could quickly turn into various steroid and drug talks, he knew from listening to his brothers. He waited for Cash to come to him so he could observe his soon-to-be wolf.

"Are we going to get a new car today?" Sunshine asked, grabbing Cash's hand and swinging it. Cash looked at his sister with affection and tugged on her braids.

"Maybe."  
"I still vote for burning down the house for insurance money." The boy that Jacob was pretty sure was named Al or something suggested. He looked a lot like Sam in his younger years._ Alot. _

"Magnolia says we're staying for a year and then if it doesn't work out we can sell it and go back to Denver." Sunny replied as Cash stopped them by the front door.

"Car!" The baby that Cash held yelled out.

"That's right! We're here to look at cars!" Sunny said in a sing-song voice.

"I think he just wants his toy car."

"Which one?"

As the younger siblings were debating which car their baby brother wanted Cash was tensing up. His muscles bunched and his seemed to grow still. But he hid it from the kids well.

"Can I help you?!" Jacob called out, seeing what he needed to see.

Cash turned in a jerk and the kids looked over at him. Although Cash's eyes weren't able to see him like he could see them they stared at each other for a long moment. Memories of watching Sam watch him before he turned echoed in the back of Jacob's mind. He ducked his head down slightly and slouched in a casual manner to alleviate the pull and tension that he knew from experience Cash was feeling at this moment. The wolf inside didn't like his stance, it thought it was too submissive and that he should be showing how strong the newcomers Alpha will be. Jake was more concerned about setting Cash off in a bad mood in front of the kids.

Cash seemed to relax a little and called back. "You Jacob Black?"

"That I am!" He yelled as he met the distance between them. When he got to the ramp of the red cabin he shared with his father Jacob grinned at them. "What can I do for you?"

"Cash Uley." Cash stated, sticking his hand out. If he was alarmed he wasn't showing it.

His hand was strong but not _strong_ and his hand was colder than Jake's.

Cash glanced at the hand he shook. It was an incredibly warm handshake, past warm actually – it was hot. Cash had refused to act like this man bothered him. Refused to act like he was effected by the way he felt pulled the large man. But he did feel like a fool for asking advice on where to get a good used car from his stalker buddies Collin and Brady. As soon as he got out of the van and his feet stepped onto the ground he felt a heavy, magnetic weight settle onto his shoulders. It took everything he had not to look in the direction it was pulling him to. He had the kids with him. He couldn't freak out like he wanted to. When Jacob Black called out to him, the voice – his voice, became the magnetic draw. Shaking his hand was not only like shaking a hot poker but shaking the hand of...he wasn't sure. But Jacob Black was not someone to be trifled with. Something...something was there, something was around them, and for a guy who until a couple of months ago was a black and white – no bull shit – sort of guy...it was difficult to realize that he was starting to lose his goddamn mind. Or...there was something out there, something else. And if there was – this guy who was grinning at him and looked like a normal (giant sized, body builder, possibly a gang-member) average Joe was involved.

"Nice to meet you, Cash Uley." Jacob said shaking his hand and releasing it. He grinned down at the kids. "I remember you, Sunshine."

Sunny ducked her head against Cash's side and hid behind her oldest brother shyly. She hadn't gone to see Mr. Sam yet because she didn't know what to say and seeing Mr. Jacob made her even sadder because it reminded her. Cash didn't make her say hello so she stayed behind him.

Jackson thought his sister was hiding to play a game. He banged his fist against his brother's shoulder and demanded. "Peek-a-Boo! Sunny! Peek-a-Boo! Sunny-Sunny!."

Sunny quietly reached up for him and Cash let Jacks slide down into her arms. He gave them a nod and said. "Go play in the van. Leave it off."

She nodded quickly and went back to the van leaving her brothers to deal with the big giant man.

The big giant man was quickly drawn into a conversation of cars. Cash pushed the conversation through, his hands shoved into his pockets, his body stiff, his face a little more closed off as usual. Jacob realized that he had been out of school because they only had one vehicle and he needed to drive his sister to her shift at the bar in the afternoon so he could drive back and use it to come see him. Having to drive his Dad around since he was a kid made him sympathetic. It would be hard having a big family and one vehicle.

"I got a couple you might be interested."

"I was interested in the 2001 Toyota Coralla that was advertised in the Talking Raven." Cash said abruptly. "You asked for 1,200?"

Jake paused for a moment, his mind going over what he knew about Cash. He knew that they didn't have a lot of cash. It didn't seem to add up that they were shopping for another car that cost twelve hundred. But he bit because he wasn't supposed to technically know anything about them.

"I got that out back. It's fender was ripped off – had to replace it and the back window, I also fixed the tail lights and installed a new rear view mirror." He said, cocking his head in the direction of the shed. "It's over here."

He showed them the car. It was a decent car and would give them a few years.

Cash looked at it like he knew his way around cars. He brought over his little brother and showed him a few things. Jake held back and watched. He felt an urge to be closer to the guy. He was Pack. The Pack always stuck close. They were wolves, the instinct to be physically near their brothers and sisters, to be Pack was an instinct stronger than they showed to the outside. When he became an Alpha and then later The Alpha he not only earned the weight of a the entire Pack and his entire family on his shoulders he felt the weight of them pulling _at_ him. To be near, to protect, to stand beside his brothers and sister and the imprints.  
Instead Jake opted to keep it casual as possible. He knew from the sound of Cash's heart rate and the smell of adrenaline kicking through his system that he was feeling the same weight, the same change that they all did when they looked or where near their future Alpha before their change. Jake steered everything he got at keeping it light, keeping it about the car.

"I got to bring my sister around later to sign paperwork and shit. You good with holding this for us?" Cash said, after a few minutes of going through the car and checking it over.

"Sure thing, brother." Jake replied shrugging. "When will be you be by?"  
"Would tomorrow after seven thirty work for you? My sister gets off at seven most nights." Cash replied, wanting to get as far away from Jacob Black as soon as possible. But he wasn't the kind of guy to_ not_ stand his ground. Whatever the fuck was going on – he needed the car. It was a good car for a good price. He wasn't going to let whatever was crawling underneath his skin fuck with that.

"Yea, sure. Come by anytime." Jake replied, sticking out his hand. He watched carefully as Cash glanced at his hand warily for a moment before shaking it.

"Will do."

He watched as they left and stuck his hand in his pockets, brooding over the coming changes. Jake loped quietly into the red house and opened the fridge.

His father sat at the table working on a model airplane. Billy looked up at his son and recognized the look on his son's face. "What is the matter, son?"

"Just met with the new kid." Was his sole answer.

Billy set down his tools and looked at his son. "And?"  
"He seems to be leveling out. It might take longer than I first expected." Jacob explained to his father, he grabbed a beer out of the fridge and popped the top. He leaned back onto the counter and took a swig before continuing. "When are you and the Council going to go up to Clara's house?"

"Soon, this afternoon I think." Billy stated. "We're going to have the bonfire soon and we want the entire Pack there, son, except those scheduled to run patrol."

"I'll make it happen." He nodded. Jake thought about everything for a long moment. The Pack, the events that were going to happen, everything and he tried to see if there was something more he could do. He couldn't fix the Uley drama. That was up to them. But he had to focus on the Pack. That was his priority and from his point of view he was done for now. All he had to do was see it out as it was going. Feeling confidant Jake put down his beer and went back out to work on his car.

This was who he was. Alpha, wolf, son, brother, friend, decision maker.

XXXXXXXXXX

Magnolia was sitting on the porch trying to fix the porch swing when a couple of vehicles rolled up into her drive. She wasn't in a particular mood to have visitors just randomly pop up at her house. It had been a shitty week – Cash grew out of almost all of his clothes and they had to do an emergency run to the nearest discount store and she was pretty sure he was going to grow out of them too, Sunny was barely talking and hardly smiled all week, Alby was beginning to feel left out and she couldn't blame him because he was always getting stuck between all of them, Jacks had developed a cold that he must have gotten from her because her head was pounding and she felt like shit from standing in the rain yelling at their long lost asshole brother.

This was not her week.

She ignored the visitors, continuing to fix the porch, because well...she didn't feel like acknowledging them until they spoke. She was in that kind of mood. Maggie coughed into the back of her arm as she fumbled with the tools she had found in Cash's stuff.

"Excuse me? Hello?"

Maggie wasn't facing the visitors so she was able to make a face without them knowing that she was making a face. Small luxuries. She plastered a grin on her face and turned around. It was a small committee. Like literally – she was pretty sure it was like an official committee. Or maybe more long lost relatives. She wasn't sure. A man with long black hair in a wheelchair sat next to a woman she recognized as the nice Sue Clearwater and beside them was an ancient man in another wheelchair and beside them was a giant young man and what appeared to be his wife. They were all looking at her with serious, official eyes.

It kind of fucked with her head for a moment.

"Can I help you, folks?" She asked, stepping down a step and tilting her head. She was wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a black thermal that was sort of see-through and most likely showed her bra which was red. But she didn't care. She had slept in her underwear because she had had a fever the night before and couldn't get comfortable and right about now... Magnolia really didn't give a shit about what a bunch of committee people (or long lost relatives) thought of her choice of clothes.

"Magnolia, it's good to see you again." Sue lead the way, not at all disturbed by the abrupt way they were welcomed.

"You too." Magnolia said back but without the plastered smile on.

"This is Billy Black and Quil Ateara." Sue motioned to the men in the wheelchairs. "Billy is Chief and we three serve on the Tribal Countil here in La Push."  
Magnolia adjusted her bra straps out of sight and nodded briskly. She felt awkward now. An actual real live Chief? And a Tribal Council. Technically – she knew about this. It was common sense that a tribe would have like a tribal chief. And possible a council or something. Like for war or something...or maybe that was just in movies. Maggie really, really didn't know a thing about being Native American (or half in her case).

"It's nice to meet you." She said, not knowing what else to say. Maggie shifted her eyes to the couple standing behind the Council and the Chief. The man was large like Sam had been and like the boys who were following Cash around. His wife was half his size and was a plain harmless looking thing. She stared at them for a moment. No one spoke so she did. "And you two are...?"

"Oh, this is Jared and his wife Kim." Sue said with a broad smile. "I almost forgot they're so quiet."

"It's nice to meet you." Kim smiled, she tugged herself closer to her man and Maggie raised her brow at him. He was hot. But taken and that wasn't her thing but she could enjoy the view. Nothing wrong with that.

"Same." Jared said, his voice deep and steady.

"CARS CARS CARS CARS!"

Jackson who had been playing with his blocks in the living room came to the screen door and pointed at the two men in wheelchairs. He liked their cars. And had no trouble with stating that fact...loudly. His Maggie didn't seem to like it because she opened the screen door and picked him up. She did this when she wanted him to be quiet. He wrinkled up his nose and stuck his tongue out at her like he saw Alby do to Sunny. She raised her brow and tweaked his nose but didn't say anything.

"We are having a private bonfire tomorrow night and we were hoping that you and you're brothers and sister would come." Billy Black, the Chief said. His voice was low and friendly but she sensed he was used to getting respect and his way. "We are sharing stories of the tribe that are sacred to our people and since you are new to the Quileute Tribe and to our ways we hope to share them with you."  
Tomorrow night. She was totally working. And she hated the idea of giving a Friday night of bar tending. She wasn't even sure if she'd be up to it the way her head was killing her. She shifted her weight and jostled her brother on her hip as she thought for a moment. It didn't seem to her like it was a good idea to deny the official Tribal council something. The older guy seemed pretty grave like this was a hugely important event they were undertaking.

What the hell...a bonfire and stories. The kids would be into it. It might be what they needed. Something different and it was definitely something they hadn't done before.

"Sure, what the hell. What time and where?"

They hastily gave her directions. Maggie saw them off and turned to go back to working on the porch when she heard the porch steps creak.

"Yea?" She asked without turning around.

"I-I'm sorry. It looks like you were busy but I was wondering -" She heard the young woman with the large husband speak. Maggie turned around and studied her for a moment. She was a former stripper from everywhere between rough and ghetto. Women like the one in front of her – with their hair smooth, their blouses cute and pressed, and a steady, reliable looking man on their arm – did not concern themselves with women like Maggie. It was just how it was. La Push was different but she was pretty sure it wasn't _that_ different. Kim shifted and looked by shyly at her husband who gave her an encouraging nod. "Some of the girls in La Push get together every Sunday afternoon for a book club and I was wondering if you'd like to join us? We're reading The Highlander Betrayed...it's not that big of a read. I'm sure you'd be able to catch up."  
No one in the history of Magnolia's history had ever thought of her as a book club girl. Or thought of her as a book girl at all. Magnolia knew what she was and people knew who she was and she was cool with that. It surprised her that this woman would even think about inviting her anywhere.

Maggie ran her hand through her hair and gave the woman a tired grin and then promptly lied through her teeth. "That's real nice, babe. But I don't have time for book clubs. I got four kids to chase after and that's a full time job on it's own."

"Oh...okay." Kim said with soft, sincere appointment. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "If you change your mind just come around. Our house is the yellow house on Bear Lane. You can't miss it."

"Sure thing." Maggie replied feeling momentarily bad that she lied. The man beside her was staring her down like he knew that she was blowing off his wife. She wanted to stare back but something about him made her turn back to the little Kim thing in front of her and say. "You know, I work at Three Sheets right off the highway most days. You and your man should come by and have a round – on the house."

They didn't seem to be like the type to frequent Three Sheets – maybe him but definitely not her. Her regulars would eat the poor thing alive but it was the only card Magnolia had up her sleeve. She couldn't go to a book club because well...books really weren't her thing. And she liked to keep the reason why under wraps. No one outside of the kids needed to know her reading troubles. Especially a group of what was probably a bunch of gossiping housewives. This one seemed sweet. But they wouldn't work out in the way of friendship. It was still nice of her to ask. Most wouldn't have done that.

Kim smiled at the other woman and nodded, taking her husbands hand. "We might just do that, thank you...you have a lovely home."

"Thanks, doll." Maggie replied.

Magnolia saw them off and turned shaking her head at her little brother. "That was a close call, baby cakes."

Jackson agreed although he was unsure what he was agreeing about. He just nodded and playfully shoved his Maggie with his hands while saying. "Car!"

"You need a new word, kid." Maggie said, lifting him up and kissing his cheek.

"New word." Jackson echoed.

"New word." Maggie winked, taking them both inside and abandoning her porch swing project. She'd just have to wait until Cash was feeling better to get that thing fixed.

She went inside and made supper for the kids and then promptly went to bed feeling crappier than she had before. Next time she told off a long lost sibling for being a jerk – she would have to make sure to do it when it wasn't raining. Or wear a coat. It rained a lot in La Push. Like...alot.

Cash found his sister curled up on her mattress in her room and leaned against the door frame. "You okay?"  
"Can you get the kids ready tomorrow morning?" Maggie said sleepily.

"Yea, sure." He nodded. Cash studied his sister and added. "Do we really got to go to this bonfire thing?"

"Yep." She said, rolling over on her stomach and burying her head in her pillow. "It's important to embrace our native american heritage."

Cash snorted.

"It is!" She retorted into the pillow. Maggie turned her head and looked up at her brother. "It'll be good for the kids and the Chief himself came over and invited us with like a bunch of people. I hate to miss out on the work but I think we need to go. It'll be fun for the kids."

"Alright but if they try to shave my head and put a tattoo on my arm – I'm out." Cash announced. He was half-serious. From the kids following him around to the guy who was selling them the car – it felt...he didn't like it. And he didn't feel like messing around right now. He knew that he was being an ass. He kept finding himself yelling and mostly at Alby, he hadn't pulled his weight around the house, he wasn't bringing in any cash, and he was pretty sure that he was costing his sister a fortune by growing out of his clothes and eating. The camper was almost ready and they were putting notices up...maybe the campfire story telling thing would be a good way to find someone interested. Get the word out.

Maggie snorted and nodded. "If they try to ink you. I'll go ape-shit on them, scouts honor."

"You weren't a scout."

"It's...metasymbolic."

"That's not a word, Mags."

She threw a pillow at him and nailed his head. "Fuck you, Cash."

He chuckled and tossed it back to her before closing the door and going downstairs to check on the other kids. Maggie fell asleep shaking her head and dreaming of nice girls named Kim throwing books at her heads asking for her to read them.

Maggie didn't sleep very well that night.

In fact she felt worse in the morning.

"Maybe you should go to the doctor?" Sunny asked at the kitchen table when she brought herself down to make sure that Cash had remembered to make sure they had everything, and to like...feed them. He was good but he was still a teenage boy.

"No money for that, baby." She replied, shrugging. It was a common answer for most things in their house. The kids were covered but she sure as hell wasn't. She'd call in sick for tonight's bonfire and today she'd fix herself a hot toddy, curl up in front of the TV, and hope to hell she didn't start throwing up. She hated being sick to her stomach. Barring a hangover she couldn't take it. The money thing was true although there was a sliding scale fee at the clinic. She just hadn't gotten around to working out the paperwork. That required a shot of something strong and one of the kids on hand to make sure she didn't fuck up and ruin it.

Sunny looked down at the cereal she was eating and didn't say anything. Maggie looked sick and tired and it scared her when Maggie looked like that. But she didn't want to say anything so she just ate her breakfast and tried to be quiet so Maggie could rest. When she went to give Maggie a hug Maggie had warded her off.

"No, no getting you sick either. Gotta get your hug fix from one of the boys."

Sunny bit her lip while Alby and Cash waited for her at the door. "You'll sleep a lot, right? And you'll drink lots of water? You can't just drink liquor that'll dehydrate you."

"When did you become an expert on healing the sick?"

"I'm going to be a nurse."Sunshine replied.

Maggie stared at her sister for a moment. "I thought you were going to be a Nun. I was kind of banking on that, babe. You or one of the boys gotta go into the Church. We need someone to turn out right in the family."

"Oh, I can still be a nurse and a nun. I asked Father Patrick on Sunday."

"You did?"

Cash rapped his knuckles on the wall. "We're going to be late, hurry it up."

"Go," Maggie waved her off and stood up. Her head ached and she was pretty sure she had a fever but she didn't want them to worry. She caught Cash's eyes and tilted her head. He got the message and came up behind Sunny and lifted her over his shoulder. Sunny squealed and Maggie found herself laughing. Her head exploded from the laughing and she covered up a coughed with her hand. They paused to look back at her and she waved them off. "Go, go. You'll be late for the bus and I sure as hell not going to be driving you."

They left and she watched from the window. Jackson tugged on her t-shirt and she shook her head. "I can't get you sick either, kid."  
She carefully nudged him to the play crib they had in living room and lifted him, keeping him far away from her body as possible.

"Nooo!" He cried unhappily.

"Sorry, baby. We're both laying low today." She retorted drily.

Maggie fixed herself a hot toddy and curled up on their couch with a pillow. She fell asleep before she could pick out an appropriate sick-day movie and didn't wake up until Jackson was yelling for food and looking extremely unhappy with her. Magnolia spent the rest of the day feeding and changing him and sleeping whatever was coursing through her body off. Or trying to. She really, really didn't want to do the bonfire thing but Maggie had given their word and the kids wouldn't go without her and it was just one night, right? She'd sneak a flask or something and let the kids do their thing. And then she'd come back and be sick all weekend.

Outside of the house, in the forest that surrounded it, a wolf stood listening. Just one wolf. He had wanted to listen in to see if they were going to the bonfire and if he and his imprint should go. He didn't know what to do. Sam...had fucked up and he didn't know how to fix it. Maybe showing them how close the community was and how close that he was to their lives would help the situation he had caused. All that Sam really knew was that no matter how hard he tried, he usually found a way to mess things up. He either acted too fast or acted too slow or thought too much or thought too less. He scuffed his paw against the moist ground and listened to Magnolia cough.

If they were talking or if they were close he'd have Emily go over with a pot of soup and medicine. It was the least they'd for any neighbor – blood or not. But this wasn't a typical situation and he didn't have the right to go there with medicine or food or help at all. For a moment Sam realized what exactly he had lost.

Sam was a man who lived for his imprint, his Pack, his family.

He had started to work Sunshine into that and had begun to process the fact that there was more family out there close to him. He had begun to accept that but he had been too slow in the taking. And now he realized that he had cut himself off from family. Brothers and sisters who were...weren't from the same place he was. He hardly knew a thing about them. Where they came from, how they grew up, where and who their mothers were. The bits and pieces he had learned from his youngest sister was bleak and disturbing. And his gut was telling him now that there was a deeper story behind them. If he hadn't been so stuck in the mud about his shit then he might have been able to find it out.

Joshua had walked out on Sam and their family.

Sam had built himself to be a man who wasn't like that. But in doing so, in being as careful as he could be, he had turned himself into Joshua. He didn't want them here and that was more like Joshua than anything he had ever done. He thought by sticking to his Pack, to his duty, to his Imprint, to his Grandmother and his family that he was being the opposite of Joshua. But when he was shoved into a situation where he could be the most unlike Joshua that he could be – he had turned around and done something like that asshole would do. He had pushed them away, put them away, and acted like they were nothing to him.

Sam was going to have to fix that.

He liked fixing things. He tried to fix his mistakes and to be a good man and a good wolf. For the most part he did pretty well but when he failed - he failed on epic proportion. He could fix Emily's face, or take back the bad decisions he made as Alpha, he couldn't fix Leah, he couldn't take back that day when Sunny had showed up in his backyard and he hadn't done what he should've. Instead...he had his mistakes that he couldn't fix. Sam just had to move forward. One step at a time. He liked that. One step at a time. He was a patient wolf. He could take the time to walk this path towards patching up his bad choices. He turned his giant, black wolf frame around and started to head back to his home. His imprint was making food and he needed to tell her that they were going to the bonfire tonight.

XXXXXXXXXX

Again, so sorry for the delay. I've been totally off my game with stuff. This is a little shorter than I intended. I can't wait to start on the next chapter though...lots of things are coming at them...very, very soon!


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